Abstract: Partially biodegradable hydrogel that changes its volume and shape in response to change in pH and/or temperature is prepared by UV irradiation of composition comprising dextran-maleic acid monoester and N-isopropylacrylamide.

Abstract: Injectable hydrogel microspheres are prepared by forming an emulsion where hydrogel precursors are in a disperse aqueous phase and polymerizing the hydrogel precursors. In a preferred case, the hydrogel precursors are poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and N-isopropylacrylamide and the continuous phase of the emulsion is an aqueous solution of dextran and a dextran solubility reducer. The microspheres will load protein, e.g., cytokines, from aqueous solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides the multifunctional biological and biochemical sensor technology based on ZnO nanostructures. The ZnO nanotips serve as strong DNA or protein molecule binding sites to enhance the immobilization. Patterned ZnO nanotips are used to provide conductivity-based biosensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are also used as the gate for field-effect transistor (FET) type sensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are integrated with SAW or BAW based biosensors. These ZnO nanotip based devices operate in multimodal operation combining electrical, acoustic and optical sensing mechanisms. The multifunctional biosensors can be arrayed and combined into one biochip, which will enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of biological and biochemical detection due to strong immobilization and multimodal operation capability. Such biological and biochemical sensor technology are useful in detection of RNA-DNA, DNA-DNA, protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-small molecules interaction.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided for handling changes in module load status. One embodiment includes a module having an object file and a module preparation script. The module object file can implement a function in a program application. The module preparation script file can be associated with the module object file to provide information to prepare the program application for a change in the load status of the module.

Abstract: A method and system for retrieving data from devices in a way that seeks to preserve privacy and ensure the integrity of the retrieved data is provided. A retrieval system is implemented on a network of devices that communicate with each other via a secure communications link. Each device is directly connected to one or more “friend” devices that it trusts. The retrieval system operates by forwarding a request for data from one friend device to another friend device. Each friend device may optionally add data to the request until all the requested data is added. The request with the retrieved data is returned to the device that initiated the request.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer system is divided into a plurality of zones for placing an object. A parent zone having a parent node is identified. The parent zone is divided into the plurality of zones, i.e., subzones, and one of subzones is selected. A node in the subzone is selected for placing the object.

Abstract: A method of calibrating current offsets from a DC bus current circuit adapted to control a motor is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of initializing the DC bus current circuit, disengaging PWM signals to the motor, sampling current values at a predetermined sampling rate, averaging the current values over a predetermined number of samples to establish an offset value, and calculating a calibration value that will nullify the offset value in any subsequent processing of current samples. In a related aspect, a method of filtering inaccurate data from a sequential calculation of power values based on repeatedly sampled voltage and current obtained at a predetermined sampling rate is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining an imbalance condition in a horizontal axis washing machine is disclosed. The method comprises several steps, including establishing a speed profile for the washing machine, having at least three increasing speed steps, operating a motor to rotate the washing machine drum sequentially through the three speed steps, measuring the power output of the motor at each speed step, calculating an average power output by averaging the power output at the first and second speed steps, calculating the difference between the power output at the third step and the average power output, comparing the difference to a predetermined threshold difference value, and sending a signal indicative of an imbalance condition if the difference exceeds the threshold difference value.

Abstract: A data overlay is built as a data structure on a logical space defined by a distributed hash table (DHT) in a peer-to-peer network. The data overlay includes a tree having tree nodes that each have a zone mapped to a corresponding DHT node in the logical space of the DHT. The logical space of the DHT is mapped to machines, each of which corresponds to one or more of more of the tree node zones. The tree nodes are hierarchically situated by tree node zone size and my available resource so that tasks are performed by machines in the peer-to-peer network according to the respective abilities of the machines to supply the tasks' demand. The tree, which self-organizes and self-heals on the same scale as the underlying DHT, is used together and disseminate information from and to the DHT nodes using the hierarchy of the tree nodes.

Abstract: Routing in a peer-to-peer network is described. In an implementation, a method includes receiving at one of a plurality of nodes in a peer-to-peer network, an indication of a change in membership in the peer-to-peer network by another node in the peer-to-peer network. A report is broadcast that describes the change. The report is for receipt by each node referenced in a routing table included in the one node.

Abstract: A data overlay is described which is built as a data structure on top of a logical space defined by a distributed hash table (DHT) in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network environment. The data overlay can assume a topology of a tree having a plurality of tree nodes. Each of the tree nodes has a zone allocated to it that maps to a corresponding zone associated with a DHT node in the logical space of the DHT. Procedures are described for “growing” this tree structure, such that the tree structure is self-organizing and self-healing on the same scale as the underlying DHT. Other procedures are described for using the tree structure to gather information from the DHT nodes and to disseminate information to the DHT nodes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing dynamic content are described herein. A system receives a request for content that includes an item cached by a proxy. The system issues another request to a content server to generate the other items that are not cached, without disrupting the process workflow of the original request. The system combines the items generated by the content server with the item cached by the proxy and sends the combined content to a destination.

Abstract: Mutual exclusion techniques for use in a dynamic peer-to-peer environment are described. In an implementation, a method includes receiving, at each of a plurality of logical replicas, a request from a client. Each of the logical replicas includes a queue and is for exclusive association with one of the clients. The request is for accessing one of a plurality of resources. When a particular one of the logical replicas is exclusively associated with another one of the clients, the request is stored in the queue of the particular logical replica.

Abstract: A method and system for conducting sequence searches in a sequence database wherein in one embodiment, the method includes: combining a plurality of query sequences into a combined query sequence; determining a plurality of subdivisions of the sequence database; performing a plurality of searches, wherein each search includes a comparison of the combined query sequence against one of the plurality of subdivisions of the database to produce a plurality of word matches; extending the length of the plurality of word matches to produce a plurality of High-scoring Segment Pairs, combining the plurality of High-scoring Segment Pairs; and producing a plurality of reports, each report representing the highest scoring matches for one of the plurality of query sequences.

Abstract: The present invention provides the multifunctional biological and biochemical sensor technology based on ZnO nanostructures. The ZnO nanotips serve as strong DNA or protein molecule binding sites to enhance the immobilization. Patterned ZnO nanotips are used to provide conductivity-based biosensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are also used as the gate for field-effect transistor (FET) type sensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are integrated with SAW or BAW based biosensors. These ZnO nanotip based devices operate in multimodal operation combining electrical, acoustic and optical sensing mechanisms. The multifunctional biosensors can be arrayed and combined into one biochip, which will enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of biological and biochemical detection due to strong immobilization and multimodal operation capability. Such biological and biochemical sensor technology are useful in detection of RNA-DNA, DNA-DNA, protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-small molecules interaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides the multifunctional biological and biochemical sensor technology based on ZnO nanostructures. The ZnO nanotips serve as strong DNA or protein molecule binding sites to enhance the immobilization. Patterned ZnO nanotips are used to provide conductivity-based biosensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are also used as the gate for field-effect transistor (FET) type sensors. Patterned ZnO nanotips are integrated with SAW or BAW based biosensors. These ZnO nanotip based devices operate in multimodal operation combining electrical, acoustic and optical sensing mechanisms. The multifunctional biosensors can be arrayed and combined into one biochip, which will enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of biological and biochemical detection due to strong immobilization and multimodal operation capability. Such biological and biochemical sensor technology are useful in detection of RNA-DNA, DNA-DNA, protein-protein, protein-DNA and protein-small molecules interaction.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a plurality of client applications access to data in a distributed file system. In various embodiments, read requests are separated from write requests and the read requests are processed by dedicated read servers. A plurality of read servers are coupled to the client applications and each read server reads file data from the distributed file system and returns the file data to the client applications. A write server writes data to the distributed file system. Various embodiments are described for separating read requests from write requests and transmitting read requests to the read servers write requests to the write server.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided for handling module symbols. One embodiment includes a module link tool having a processor, a memory, and program instructions provided to the memory and executable by the processor. The program instructions are executable to translate a particular type of information associated with an object file into instructions to provide to a linker utility.

Abstract: Siliceous materials were prepared by adding one or more additives, including one or more water soluble polymers, and derivatives thereof, as well as trifunctional silanes, to sols containing tetraalkoxysilanes derived from polyols. The polymers facilitate phase separation of the growing silica gel matrix, leading to high surface area self-supporting silica gels with cure occurring at ambient temperatures. The materials also show a significant reduction in shrinkage properties and significant protein stabilization abilities.

Abstract: Siliceous materials are prepared by adding one or more additives, including water soluble polymers, and derivatives thereof, to sols containing tetraalkoxysilanes derived from polyols. The polymers facilitate phase separation of the growing silica gel matrix, leading to high surface area self-supporting silica gels with cure occurring at ambient temperatures. The materials also show a significant reduction in shrinkage properties.