Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure features a system that includes a flexible waveguide having a hollow core extending along a waveguide axis and a region surrounding the core, the region being configured to guide radiation from the CO2 laser along the waveguide axis from an input end to an output end of the waveguide. The system also includes a handpiece attached to the waveguide, wherein the handpiece allows an operator to control the orientation of the output end to direct the radiation to a target location of a patient and the handpiece includes a tip extending past the output end that provides a minimum standoff distance between the output end and the target location.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for testing and ranking therapeutic antibody candidates for biophysical properties related to solubility and the susceptibility of the antibody to aggregate in aqueous solutions. The methods are useful for selecting among antibody libraries or variants for candidates which can be formulated at high concentrations.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure features a system that includes a flexible waveguide having a hollow core extending along a waveguide axis and a region surrounding the core, the region being configured to, guide radiation from the CO2 laser along the waveguide axis from an input end to an output end of the waveguide. The system also includes a handpiece attached to the waveguide, wherein the handpiece allows an operator to control the orientation of the output end to direct the radiation to a target location of a patient and the handpiece includes a tip extending past the output end that provides a minimum standoff distance between the output end and the target location.

Abstract: A protein scaffold based on a consensus sequence of the tenth fibronectin type III (FN3) repeat from human fibronectin, including isolated nucleic acids that encode a protein scaffold, vectors, host cells, and methods of making and using thereof have applications in diagnostic and/or therapeutic compositions, methods and devices. In particular, protein scaffold molecules binding to IgG based on the consensus sequence have been identified as useful for diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling overall transmission ratios in a vehicle powertrain with an engine, fixed multiple-ratio gearing and infinitely variable ratio components. For a given vehicle speed and for a given vehicle traction wheel horsepower, the fixed multiple-ratio gearing and the infinitely variable ratio components are controlled to operate with an overall ratio that will permit the engine to operate with optimum efficiency.

Abstract: A protein scaffold based on a consensus sequence of fibronectin type III (FN3) proteins, such as the tenth FN3 repeat from human fibronectin (human Tenascin), including isolated nucleic acids that encode a protein scaffold, vectors, host cells, and methods of making and using thereof have applications in diagnostic and/or therapeutic compositions, methods and devices. In particular, protein scaffold molecules binding to IgG have been identified as useful for diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications.

Abstract: A protein scaffold based on a consensus sequence of the tenth fibronectin type III (FN3) repeat from human fibronectin, preferably human Tenascin, that binds to human TNF? including isolated nucleic acids that encode a protein scaffold, vectors, host cells, and methods of making and using thereof have applications in diagnostic and/or therapeutic compositions, methods and devices.

Abstract: A robotic device is manually driven along a perimeter of a Region Of Interest (ROI) or along a Path Of Interest (POI) for future autonomous operation. An Initial Point (IP) is established by identifying a unique machine recognizable feature, for example, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag located at the IP. The robotic device is then manually driven along the perimeter or along the path and sensors carried by the robotic device collects data to characterize the ROI or POI. The sensors may include sonar, vision systems, laser, or radar devices for measuring relative positions of a wall, stairs, or obstacles. Wheel odometry may be used to track distances traveled and data fusion exercised to combine the odometry data with the sonar and/or laser measurements to model the ROI or POI. Characterization is performed by collecting points along a wall, fitting a line to the points, and finding the intersections of consecutive lines.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing the geometric stretch of a parametrization scheme. Given an arbitrary mesh, the systems and methods construct a progressive mesh (PM) such that all meshes in the PM sequence share a common texture parametrization. The systems and methods minimize geometric stretch, i.e., small texture distances mapped onto large surface distances, to balance sampling rates over all locations and directions on the surface. The systems and methods also minimize texture deviation, i.e., “slippage” error based on parametric correspondence, to obtain accurate textured mesh approximations. The technique(s) begin by partitioning the mesh into charts using planarity and compactness heuristics. Then, the technique(s) proceed by creating a stretch-minimizing parametrization within each chart, and by resizing the charts based on the resulting stretch. Then, the technique(s) simplify the mesh while respecting the chart boundaries.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling overall transmission ratios in a vehicle powertrain with an engine, fixed multiple-ratio gearing and infinitely variable ratio components. For a given vehicle speed and for a given vehicle traction wheel horsepower, the fixed multiple-ratio gearing and the infinitely variable ratio components are controlled to operate with an overall ratio that will permit the engine to operate with optimum efficiency.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure features a system that includes a flexible waveguide having a hollow core extending along a waveguide axis and a region surrounding the core, the region being configured to, guide radiation from the CO2 laser along the waveguide axis from an input end to an output end of the waveguide. The system also includes a handpiece attached to the waveguide, wherein the handpiece allows an operator to control the orientation of the output end to direct the radiation to a target location of a patient and the handpiece includes a tip extending past the output end that provides a minimum standoff distance between the output end and the target location.

Abstract: A coffee package having a coffee product having a reduced density; a usage indicia associated therewith the coffee package; and a principle indicia having associated therewith the package.

Abstract: A coffee package having a coffee product having a compact density; a usage indicia associated therewith the coffee package; and a principle indicia having associated therewith the package.

Abstract: A method of displaying an array of coffee products to a consumer having the following steps: a. providing a first coffee package having a first coffee product having a first density, a first usage indicia associated therewith the first coffee package, and first package principle indicia having associated therewith the first package; b. providing a second coffee package having a second coffee product having a second density, a second usage indicia associated therewith the second coffee package; and a second package principle indicia having associated therewith the second package; c. shelving the first and second coffee package such that both first and second coffee package and the first and second usage indicia are observable by the consumer; The first density of the first coffee package and the second density of the second coffee package can be different.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing a parametrization scheme in accordance with information about the surface signal. A surface parametrization is created to store a given surface signal into a texture image. The signal-specialized metric of the invention minimizes signal approximation error, i.e., the difference between the original surface signal and its reconstruction from the sampled texture. A signal-stretch parametrization metric is derived based on a Taylor expansion of signal error. For fast evaluation, the metric of the invention is pre-integrated over the surface as a metric tensor. The resulting parametrizations have increased texture resolution in surface regions with greater signal detail. Compared to traditional geometric parametrizations, the number of texture samples can often be reduced by a significant factor for a desired signal accuracy.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features apparatus that include an assembly including a radiation input port configured to receive radiation from a radiation source and an output port configured to couple the radiation to a photonic crystal fiber, the assembly further including a retardation element positioned to modify a polarization state of the radiation received from the radiation source before it is coupled to the photonic crystal fiber.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include directing radiation to a target location of a patient through a photonic crystal fiber, the photonic crystal fiber having a hollow core and flowing a fluid through the hollow core to the target location of the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing the geometric stretch of a parametrization scheme. Given an arbitrary mesh, the systems and methods construct a progressive mesh (PM) such that all meshes in the PM sequence share a common texture parametrization. The systems and methods minimize geometric stretch, i.e., small texture distances mapped onto large surface distances, to balance sampling rates over all locations and directions on the surface. The systems and methods also minimize texture deviation, i.e., “slippage” error based on parametric correspondence, to obtain accurate textured mesh approximations. The technique(s) begin by partitioning the mesh into charts using planarity and compactness heuristics. Then, the technique(s) proceed by creating a stretch-minimizing parametrization within each chart, and by resizing the charts based on the resulting stretch. Then, the technique(s) simplify the mesh while respecting the chart boundaries.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include guiding radiation at a first wavelength, ?1, through a core of a photonic crystal fiber and guiding radiation at a second wavelength, ?2, through the photonic crystal fiber, wherein |?1??2|>100 nm.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing the geometric stretch of a parametrization scheme. Given an arbitrary mesh, the systems and methods construct a progressive mesh (PM) such that all meshes in the PM sequence share a common texture parametrization. The systems and methods minimize geometric stretch, i.e., small texture distances mapped onto large surface distances, to balance sampling rates over all locations and directions on the surface. The systems and methods also minimize texture deviation, i.e., “slippage” error based on parametric correspondence, to obtain accurate textured mesh approximations. The technique(s) begin by partitioning the mesh into charts using planarity and compactness heuristics. Then, the technique(s) proceed by creating a stretch-minimizing parametrization within each chart, and by resizing the charts based on the resulting stretch. Then, the technique(s) simplify the mesh while respecting the chart boundaries.