Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and systems for manipulation of media and particles, whether inert materials or biomaterials, such as cells in suspension cell culture. The methods and systems comprise use of an apparatus comprising a rotating chamber wherein the actions of the combined forces fluid flow force and centrifugal force form a fluidized bed within the rotating chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods of treating wastewater. The present invention may include a method of treating such wastewater comprising selenium in the form of water soluble selenates, selenites, and/or selenides, the method including: a chemical/biological treatment process, causing the water soluble selenates, selenites, and/or selenides in the wastewater to be converted into insoluble elemental selenium; and a physical treatment process, trapping the insoluble elemental selenium in a filtration device.

Abstract: The invention is directed to systems and methods of biological and chemical treatment of wastewater comprising organic nitrogen compounds. Systems may include: an aerobic reactor, a first separation module for separating liquid and solid components of the wastewater; an oxidation module for removing organic materials from the wastewater; and a post-anoxic reactor for denitrifying at least a portion of the wastewater. Systems may include a second separation module and various feedback recycle lines between the components. Methods may include: degrading by the aerobic reactor more than 95% of organic compounds to ammonia, oxidizing by the oxidation module at least a portion of the ammonia to nitrates, and degrading by the post-anoxic reactor at least a portion of the nitrates to nitrogen gas and water. Systems and methods may reduce total organic carbon of the wastewater by more than 90%, and total nitrogen of the wastewater by more than 90%.

Abstract: A social-mobile-local (SML) system and environment includes user mobile devices, a distributed communications network over which the devices communicate, a means of sensing proximity between pairs of mobile devices, and one or more SML databases and programs resident on the user mobile devices, on remote computers, or both. Challenges addressed include prevention of “alert flooding,” privacy protection, credential verification, entering detailed data on mobile devices, power-saving, and improved quality in both the choice and the content of notifications.

Abstract: The most common automated search methods produce less-than-ideal results when searching online resumes, profiles, and the like (“biographies”) for the identities of people with a searcher-selected qualification (“candidates”). Keywords, their proximities, and their repetitions are less informative in biographies than in other informational documents. Similarly, chains of social connection (“referral paths”) do not always reveal the likelihood or ease of a searcher's introduction to a candidate. In both cases, the display order of results may be unrelated to any estimate of merit. To answer the question “Whom do I need and how do I reach them?” a classifier system uses heuristics or algorithms adapted to match the reactions of human experts on the selected qualifications. Terms in biographies, regardless of structure, are standardized and disambiguated for accurate comparisons, meaningful context is preserved, and biographies and referral paths are scored based on expected usefulness to the searcher.

Abstract: The most common automated search methods produce less-than-ideal results when searching online resumes, profiles, and the like (“biographies”) for the identities of people with a searcher-selected qualification (“candidates”). Keywords, their proximities, and their repetitions are less informative in biographies than in other informational documents. Similarly, chains of social connection (“referral paths”) do not always reveal the likelihood or ease of a searcher's introduction to a candidate. In both cases, the display order of results may be unrelated to any estimate of merit. To answer the question “Whom do I need and how do I reach them?” a classifier system uses heuristics or algorithms adapted to match the reactions of human experts on the selected qualifications. Terms in biographies, regardless of structure, are standardized and disambiguated for accurate comparisons, meaningful context is preserved, and biographies and referral paths are scored based on expected usefulness to the searcher.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating particles includes: a rotor rotatable at a speed about an axis, the rotor having an outer periphery and front and rear opposite sides; at least one chamber (50) mounted on the rotor, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet; an umbilical assembly rotatable about the axis; and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the umbilical assembly at about one-half the speed of the rotor. The umbilical assembly includes: a curvilinear guide tube (125) connecting to a drum at the rear side of the rotor; a flexible conduit (130) residing in the guide tube; and first and second elongate passageways (135) for each chamber extending through the conduit, wherein the first passageway is in fluid communication with the inlet of a respective chamber and the second passageway is in fluid communication with the outlet of the respective chamber. The passageways are held in a spaced-apart relationship relative to one another.

Abstract: A host receives messages from a network processing device. Messages received from a primary port are processed and also forwarded to a standby host over a secondary port. Messages received by the standby host over the secondary port are processed in the same was as the messages received over the primary port. However, the standby host will not respond to the messages received over the secondary port.

Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and systems for manipulation of media and particles, whether inert materials or biomaterials, such as cells in suspension cell culture. The methods and systems comprise use of an apparatus comprising a rotating chamber wherein the actions of the combined forces fluid flow force and centrifugal force form a fluidized bed within the rotating chamber.

Abstract: The present invention comprises methods and systems for manipulation of media and particles, whether inert materials or biomaterials, such as cells in suspension cell culture. The methods and systems comprise use of an apparatus comprising a rotating chamber wherein the actions of the combined forces of gravity, fluid flow force and centrifugal force form a fluidized bed within the rotating chamber.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a substrate having high voltage transistor regions and low voltage transistor regions. The substrate includes a first trench between and adjacent to the high voltage transistor regions, a second trench between and adjacent to the low voltage transistor regions, and a third trench between the first and second trenches and between and adjacent to a high voltage transistor region and a low voltage transistor region. A thicker silicon dioxide layer lines the first trench and a first portion of the third trench adjacent to a high voltage transistor region. A thinner silicon dioxide layer lines the second trench and a second portion of the third trench adjacent to a low voltage transistor region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit includes etching a substrate to create simultaneously a first trench between high voltage transistor regions of the substrate and a second trench between low voltage regions of the substrate. The substrate is then oxidized to form a silicon dioxide layer lining the first and second trenches, the layer having a first thickness. A silicon nitride layer is deposited on the silicon dioxide layer in the first and second trenches. The silicon nitride layer is then etched from the first trench but not from the second trench, thereby exposing the silicon layer in the first trench but not the second trench. The exposed silicon dioxide layer in the first trench is oxidized to increase the thickness of the silicon dioxide layer to a second thickness greater than the first thickness of the unexposed silicon dioxide layer in the second trench. The first and second trenches are then filled with a dielectric material.

Abstract: A high voltage transistor exhibiting an improved breakdown voltage and related methods are provided. For example, a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit includes etching a poly silicon layer to provide a gate stacked above a floating gate of a flash memory cell. A source and a drain of the flash memory cell are implanted in a substrate. The poly silicon layer is etched to provide a gate of a high voltage transistor. Lightly doped drain (LDD) implants are provided in source/drain regions of the high voltage transistor in the substrate. An annealing operation is performed on the integrated circuit, wherein the annealing causes each of the LDD implants to form a graded junction in relation to a channel in the substrate between the LDD regions, and further causes sidewalls to oxidize on the gates of the flash memory cell and on the gate of the high voltage transistor.

Abstract: The invention provides a genetic screening method for identifying a transfected cell expressing the polypeptide of interest. The methods allows for high throughput screening of recombinant cells for elevated levels of expression of the polypeptide of interest using methylcellulose comprising fluorescent protein A or G to improve detection and cloning. The invention also provides capture media, formulations and methods of making and using thereof.

Abstract: Hybrid antigens comprising an antigenic domain and improved heat shock protein binding domains are described which are useful for the induction of an immune response to the antigenic domain and thus can be used to treat infectious diseases and cancers that express an antigen of the antigenic domain.

Abstract: A high voltage transistor exhibiting an improved breakdown voltage and related methods are provided. For example, a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit includes etching a poly silicon layer to provide a gate stacked above a floating gate of a flash memory cell. A source and a drain of the flash memory cell are implanted in a substrate. The poly silicon layer is etched to provide a gate of a high voltage transistor. Lightly doped drain (LDD) implants are provided in source/drain regions of the high voltage transistor in the substrate. An annealing operation is performed on the integrated circuit, wherein the annealing causes each of the LDD implants to form a graded junction in relation to a channel in the substrate between the LDD regions, and further causes sidewalls to oxidize on the gates of the flash memory cell and on the gate of the high voltage transistor.

Abstract: Hybrid antigens comprising at least one antigenic domain, at least one heat shock protein binding domain, and at least one improved peptide linker there between are described which are useful for the induction of an immune response to the antigenic domain when administered alone or in a complex with at least one heat shock protein. The hybrid antigens and complexes can be used to treat infectious diseases and cancers that express an antigen of the antigenic domain.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a circuit may be formed by forming at least one bent-gate output stage transistor and at least one bent-gate input stage transistor. The bent-gate output stage transistor may be electrically isolated from an input to the bent-gate input stage transistor by forming at least one bent-gate grounded-gate transistor between the bent-gate output stage transistor and the input to the bent-gate input stage transistor.

Abstract: Improved shallow trench isolation (STI) techniques are provided for semiconductor devices. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes a substrate, a first trench in the substrate, and a second trench in the substrate. A first silicon dioxide liner substantially lines the first trench. A second silicon dioxide liner substantially lines the second trench, wherein the second silicon dioxide liner has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first silicon dioxide liner. A silicon nitride liner is on the first silicon dioxide liner in the first trench but not on the second silicon dioxide liner in the second trench. A dielectric material fills the first and second trenches.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a polycide fuse is provided that includes: a polysilicon layer; a silicide layer formed on the polysilicon layer; and a silicon nitride layer formed on the silicide layer by RTCVD, the silicon nitride layer having a relatively low hydrogen concentration and relatively low mechanical stress.