Abstract: Novel luciferins, methods of making luciferins, and uses of the same are disclosed.

Abstract: Novel luciferins, methods of making luciferins, and uses of the same are disclosed.

Abstract: A valve comprises a flexible member including a slit formed on a central portion thereof and a first housing defining a first lumen extending therethrough, the first housing including a first contacting surface adapted, when the slit of the flexible member is aligned with the first lumen, to contact a first side of the flexible member the first housing defining a relief area extending about a perimeter of the first contacting surface radially outside the central portion relative to a longitudinal axis of the first lumen in combination with a second housing adapted to mate with the first housing with a second lumen defined by the second housing aligned with the first lumen and separated therefrom by the flexible member, the second housing including a second contacting surface which, when the first and second housings are mated to one another in an operative configuration with the flexible member pinched therebetween, contacts a second side of the flexible member opposite the first side thereof along the longit

Abstract: Novel, activatable dyes, such as photoactivatable dyes, e.g., oxazine dyes, are described. Some of the dyes are targeting dyes that can, e.g., target biomolecules, such as polypeptides, proteins, or nucleic acids. Upon activation, such as by irradiation, the novel dyes rapidly turn on their fluorescence and emit light, such as near-IR light with spatial and temporal precision.

Abstract: A device for transferring fluids between an internal structure in a living body and an exterior thereof, comprises a housing including a pressure activated lumen extending to a distal end opening to a power injection lumen that extends to a distal port configured for connection to a fluid conduit extending to a target structure within the body and a pressure activated valve extending across the pressure activated lumen and controlling fluid flow therethrough, the pressure activated valve opening to permit fluid flow therethrough into the power injection lumen when a fluid pressure differential thereacross is at least a first predetermined threshold level and remaining sealed when the fluid pressure differential thereacross is less than the first threshold level in combination with a proximal port coupled to the housing for movement between a first position in which a proximal end of the power injection lumen opens to the proximal port and a second position in which a proximal end of the pressure activated lum

Abstract: A safety lock for a clamp closing a therapeutic fluid conduit, the clamp comprising a clamping end and a locking end which wrap around a fluid conduit receiving space wherein, when in a clamped position, the locking end mates with the clamping end to maintain a clamping projection in the fluid conduit receiving space, the lock comprising a first attachment at a first end thereof, the first attachment being sized and shaped to receive therein a portion of the clamping end, the first attachment abutting the clamping projection to define a maximum travel of the lock along the clamping end toward the locking end and a second attachment at a second end thereof preventing the locking end from moving away from the clamping end.

Abstract: The compositions described herein shift the light output of luciferases to the near-IR by resonance energy transfer to a targetable near-IR fluorophore.

Abstract: Spirolactam targeting compounds, related compounds, uses of such compounds, and methods of making such compounds are disclosed.

Abstract: Novel luciferins, methods of making luciferins, and uses of the same are disclosed.

Abstract: A fitting for connecting a catheter to a fluid conduit, comprises a housing defining a lumen extending therethrough from a distal end adapted for attachment to a catheter and a proximal end releasably connectable to a second fitting in combination with a wing extending from the housing away from an axis of the lumen, a portion of the housing opposite the wing being substantially rounded and free of projections away from the axis, a radially outermost lateral edge of a first surface of the wing being rounded wherein, when in a desired position, the first surface faces the skin.

Abstract: A system for integrated testing of one or more multi-service communications switches including a script execution environment for executing a test script. The script execution environment includes a hardware definition file storing a number of logical hardware device names corresponding to hardware devices used by the test script, including a system under test (SUT) and a number of hardware testing devices. The system further employs a network definition file including a plurality of logical connection names corresponding to connections between the hardware devices in the test environment. These connections in the network definition file are specified in terms of the logical hardware device names defined in the hardware definition file.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for synthesizing peptides with sulfonyl protecting groups. In the subject methods, an sulfonyl group .alpha.-amino protected amino acid is contacted with a second amino acid monomeric unit under coupling conditions so that the protected amino acid and second amino acid monomeric unit are joined by a peptide bond. The contacting step may be repeated one more additional times to obtain a peptide of desired length. Also provided are methods of site specific modification using the subject sulfonyl protecting groups. The subject methods find particular use in methods of solid phase peptide synthesis.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device uses a spectrally selective photon partitioner such as a reflector to partition incoming sunlight which is directed towards different solar cells, depending upon its energy. Solar cells having low and high energy band gaps are used, in which low energy photons are imaged towards that cell having the lower energy band gap, whereas high energy photons are imaged towards the higher energy band gap cell. By more directly imaging photons towards those cells in which they are converted to electricity, absorption losses due to free carriers in the semiconductor layers are reduced. The spectrally selective photon partitioner allows semiconductor layers having different lattice spacings to be optically coupled.

Abstract: An alignment guide comprises a guide block locator having surfaces for engaging a prepared femur and establishing a specific position relative to an intercondylar slot in the femur. The guide block locator contains an aperture for directing a guide block to the specific position. The guide block includes a leg that can be driven into the femur to hold the guide block in place. The guide block is adapted to precisely engage the cam box of a femoral implant. Upon removal of the guide block locator, the femoral implant can be positioned over the guide block where the cam box will engage the guide block before the anterior and posterior flanges of the implant grip the anterior and posterior surfaces of the femur thereby providing proper alignment of the femur and implant.

Abstract: The transition interconnects microstrip transmission lines whose finite-width conductors are formed on the upper surface and whose ground planes are formed on the under surface of a ceramic substrate. A patternable metallizable multilayer thick film dielectric is applied to the under surface of the ceramic substrate. The transition comprises first and second vias which penetrate the ceramic substrate inside and outside a hermetic enclosure. The upper ends of the vias are connected to the finite-width transmission line conductors, and the lower ends of the vias are interconnected by a finite-width conductor formed on the under surface of the substrate. The lower conductor then forms a transmission line of either a microstrip or coplanar nature with a ground plane available on the underside of the assembly. The thick film dielectric facilitates sealing, and attachment of a metal base plate. All steps are performed using thick film processing.

Abstract: A simplified method for rotating a digital image through a small angle without the need for interpolation is described. The image is divided into small, square blocks, arranged in horizontal rows where each block is exactly to the left or right of the other blocks in the row, and into columns where each block in the column is offset to the right by one pixel with respect to the next higher block. The rotation is then accomplished by moving the lower rows to the left so that the columns are exactly vertical, and by moving the rightmost columns in a downward direction so that each block is one pixel below the block to its left. The result is a rotation of the image through a small angle. There is a considerable simplification gained from not rotating the data within each block which results in a slight distortion of the image, but for small angles, this is not noticeable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to single and twisted pair transmission line wires wherein the effective electrical diameter of the primary conductor is increased. This is accomplished by wrapping conductive foil or conductive foil laminated to a substrate layer onto a primary conductor with a diameter less than 20 mils wherein the foil is in contact with the conductor and has an outer insulating cover.This may be done by either spiral wrapping or by longitudinal wrapping around the electrical conductor. This invention provides a desired characteristic impedance along the length of the wire(s) and allows easy removal for standard termination and increased cut-through resistance.

Abstract: A thin film photovoltaic module has transparent electrodes on front and back surfaces of a semiconductive layer. In one embodiment, both transparent electrodes pass light to the semiconductive layer for photovoltaic purposes. In another embodiment, the back electrode passes light which enters through the front electrode and is not absorbed by the semiconductive layer, so that the module is selectively transparent to the unabsorbed light. The spectral makeup of the transmitted light is controlled by controlling the optical characteristics of the layers of the module. The index of refraction of the back electrode is a primary source of transmission control, along with the refractive index of the front electrode and the thickness of the semiconductive layer itself. Light transmitted by the module can be used for nonphotovoltaic purposes, such as illuminating the interior of a vehicle or dwelling, or may be directed back into the semiconductive layer by a reflective surface behind the back electrode.

Abstract: A photoconductive device of decreased resistivity is provided by using at least one zinc oxide transparent conductive layer in conjunction with a thin film amorphous silicon photoconductor. The zinc oxide layer can be used as the front contact, the back contact or both the front and back contacts of the photoconductive device.