Abstract: An isolation assembly for use with coiled tubing is described. The isolation assembly has a check valve for providing selective fluid communication through from the coiled tubing, through the isolation assembly, and into a downhole tool, such a straddle packer. The isolation assembly includes a shuttle moveable within a housing, and plurality of ports to selectively provide fluid communication from within the isolation assembly below the check valve, through the ports, and into the annulus, thus allowing selective surface-controlled equalization of downhole equipment. Also described is a bottom hole assembly including the isolation assembly. An improved method of fracing a formation includes providing a check valve, thus improving the life of the coiled tubing and the safety of the operation, and reducing the time to perform a given downhole operation.

Abstract: The invention features a purified embryonic or fetal caprine somatic cell. The somatic cell can be in a preparation of embryonic or fetal caprine somatic cells. In addition, the cell can be used to derive an embryonic or fetal caprine somatic cell line. The somatic cell can be a genetically engineered caprine somatic cell, e.g., a somatic cell which includes a transgenic sequence, or which a nucleic acid has been introduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides data to demonstrate that the re-fusion, of a mammalian karyoplast to an enucleated in vivo ovulated cocyte, following an unsuccessful initial simultaneous electrical fusion and activation event offers an additional alternative and improvement in the creation of activated and fused nuclear transfer-capable embryos for the production of live off-spring in various mammalian non-human species including goats, pigs, rodents, primates, rabbits and cattle. Additionally, multiple electrical pulses offers an alternative and more efficient activation method in a simultaneous fusion and activation methodology for viable offspring production in a animal nuclear transfer program.

Abstract: This invention is comprised of a data processing system containing at least one main processor connected to a system bus, a system memory connected to the system bus and accessible to each of the main processors, a tamper mechanism, and a local service processor. The tamper mechanism is configured to change state each time the system is inserted into a slot in a rack enclosure. The local service processor is connected to the tamper mechanism and configured to update an insertion log upon detecting a change in state of the tamper mechanism. The insertion log provides a count and a history of rack insertions to which the system has been subjected. The system may include a non-volatile storage element which is updated exclusively by the local service processor that contains the insertion log. The insertion log may include an insertion counter. In this embodiment, the local service processor is configured to increment the insertion counter upon each insertion.

Abstract: The invention features methods of cryopreserving sperm. The methods include providing a sample of sperm; cooling the sperm to a first temperature; maintaining the sperm sample at the first temperature; cooling the sperm to a second temperature; maintaining the sperm at the second temperature; and storing the sperm at a third temperature. These methods can be used to cryopreserve sperm from mammals, e.g., transgenic mammals and can be to preserve sperm for subsequent artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization.

Abstract: The invention features cloned and transgenic mammals, e.g., goats, which are made by introducing the genome of a somatic cell into an enucleated oocyte, preferably a naturally matured oocyte which in telophase, to form a reconstructed embryo.

Abstract: This invention is comprised of a data processing system containing at least one main processor connected to a system bus, a system memory connected to the system bus and accessible to each of the main processors, a tamper mechanism, and a local service processor. The tamper mechanism is configured to change state each time the system is inserted into a slot in a rack enclosure. The local service processor is connected to the tamper mechanism and configured to update an insertion log upon detecting a change in state of the tamper mechanism. The insertion log provides a count and a history of rack insertions to which the system has been subjected. The system may include a non-volatile storage element which is updated exclusively by the local service processor that contains the insertion log. The insertion log may include an insertion counter. In this embodiment, the local service processor is configured to increment the insertion counter upon each insertion.

Abstract: The invention features methods of producing a mammal, e.g., a cloned or transgenic mammal. The method includes maintaining a reconstructed embryo in culture until the embryo is in the 2 to 8 cell stage of embryogenesis, transferring the embryo at the 2 to 8 cell stage into a recipient mammal, and allowing the embryo to develop into a mammal.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for automatically switching remote shared devices in a dense server environment. A device driver in a server blade may be configured to receive a request to access a shared device from the server blade and issue a query to a service processor as to whether the requested shared device is being accessed. If the requested shared device is not being accessed by the requesting server blade, then the device driver may wait to receive a response from the service processor indicating that the requested shared device is available. Once the requested shared device is available, the service processor may connect the requested shared device with the requesting server blade. The request to access the requested shared device may then be transferred to the requested shared device by the device driver.

Abstract: A programmable multispeed communication apparatus includes a plurality of identical media access control (MAC) units for use with a programmable data processing system. The MAC units when multiplexed and connected to a communication media achieve a transmission speed n·s where n is the number of MAC units and s is the speed of the individual MACs. If one or more but not all of the MAC units fail, the apparatus will operate in degraded mode with the remaining active MAC units. User frames are sequentially numbered, partitioned into sequentially numbered partitions which are assigned to one or more MAC's. Each of the partitions includes a prefix which includes the sequential frame number, the sequential partition number and an indicator for distinguishing the last partition of a frame from the other partitions of that frame.

Abstract: The invention features methods of cryopreserving sperm. The methods include providing a sample of sperm; cooling the sperm to a first temperature; maintaining the sperm sample at the first temperature; cooling the sperm to a second temperature; maintaining the sperm at the second temperature; and storing the sperm at a third temperature. These methods can be used to cryopreserve sperm from mammals, e.g., transgenic mammals and can be to preserve sperm for subsequent artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization.

Abstract: An adapter or add-in card for using in a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) computer includes a universal module which couples the card to the PCI bus. The module includes a set of selectively programmable configuration registers which are loaded by a microprocessor on the adapter. A circuit arrangement on the module issues a command which inhibits the PCI processor from accessing the configuration registers until fully loaded.