Abstract: The invention includes a mutant T4 DNA ligase or a biologically active fragment thereof, which has greater activity than wild type T4 DNA ligase. The mutant T4 DNA ligase, or the biologically active fragment, has one or more substitutions differing from the wild type, as described more fully in the Summary.

Abstract: A number of T4 DNA ligase mutants exhibiting enhanced ligation activity at temperatures above 37° C. compared to the wild-type ligase were engineered, characterized, and selected via gel electrophoresis of ligation products from a standard ligation assay. T4 Ligase catalyzes the formation of phosphodiester bonds between the 5? and 3? ends of complementary cohesive ends or blunt ends of duplex DNA, a process that is vital to numerous molecular biology processes including cloning and sequencing.

Abstract: Automatic terrain evaluation of landing surfaces, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative method includes receiving a request to land a movable object and, in response to the request, identifying a target landing area on a landing surface based on at least one image of the landing surface obtained by the movable object. The method can further include directing the movable object to land at the target landing area.

Abstract: A pose determination method for a subject includes identifying a plurality of candidate regions from depth data representing an environment based on a depth connectivity criterion, determining a first region including a first subset of the plurality of candidate regions based on an estimation regarding a first pose component of the subject, determining a second region including a second subset of the plurality of candidate regions that are disconnected from the first subset of the plurality of candidate regions based on relative locations of the first region and the second region, generating a collective region by associating the first region with the second region, identifying the first pose component and a second pose component of the subject from the collective region, determining a spatial relationship between the first pose component and the second pose component, and generating a controlling command based on the spatial relationship.

Abstract: Polymer compositions and films are provided. The polymer compositions include (A) 10-50 wt % heterogeneously branched Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed LLDPE polymer having a composition distribution breadth index (CBDI) <50.0%; and (B) 90-50 wt % metallocene-catalyzed LLDPE polymer having melt index 0.5 g/10 min to 5.0 g/10 min; melt index ratio from 20 to 40; weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 20,000 to 200,000 g/mol; a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) from 2.0 to 4.5; density 0.910 to 0.925 g/cm3; CDBI less than 35.0%; and comonomer distribution such that a first peak and a second peak in a comonomer distribution analysis, wherein the first peak has a maximum at a log(Mw) value of 4.3 to 4.7 and a TREF elution temperature of 85.0° C. to 95.0° C. and the second peak has a maximum at a log(Mw) value of 5.1 to 5.6 and a TREF elution temperature of 60.0° C. to 70.0° C.

Abstract: The invention includes a mutant T4 DNA ligase or a biologically active fragment thereof, which has greater activity than wild type T4 DNA ligase. The mutant T4 DNA ligase, or the biologically active fragment, has one or more substitutions differing from the wild type, as described more fully in the Summary with reference to the Sequence Listing.

Abstract: A number of T4 DNA ligase mutants exhibiting enhanced ligation activity in the presence of high salt concentrations compared to the wild-type ligase were engineered, characterized, and selected via gel electrophoresis of ligation products from a standard ligation assay. Ligase catalyzes the formation of phosphodiester bonds between the 5? and 3? ends of complementary cohesive ends or blunt ends of duplex DNA, a process that is vital to numerous molecular biology processes including cloning and sequencing.

Abstract: Disclosed are Taq DNA polymerase mutants which exhibit enhanced efficiency in qPCR compared to the wild type Taq DNA polymerase. Such mutants include: V62S, V64S, A70F, F73A, A77F, P253G, E255K, D257R, A259F, A271F, L288S, E289K, S357I, L361S, L376S, P382G, T385I, G418P, R419D, E421K, L461S, A472F, E497K, L498S, E524K, D551R, R556D, S679I, L789S, E189K/E507K/E742K (See Sequence Listing Guide for the mutants' amino acid and protein sequences).

Abstract: Proteases are enzymes which hydrolyze protein enzymes, eliminating their activity. The present invention exploits the hydrolyzing activity of proteases including proteinase K, endoproteinase LysC and/or trypsin to control the activity of restriction enzymes and/or eliminate or reduce production of unwanted DNA or RNA fragments (known as star activity).

Abstract: The invention includes a mutant Taq polymerase, which can effectively amplify a target sequence under conditions of salt concentration(s) similar to body fluids, including blood, serum or plasma preserved with sodium citrate. The mutant Taq polymerase, or a biologically active fragment thereof, has one or more substitutions differing from the wild type as shown in Table I.

Abstract: The invention includes a mutant Taq polymerase or biologically active fragment thereof, which can significantly extend and amplify a target sequence in comparison to wild type Taq polymerase, where the extension mixture includes asymmetrical cyanine dye, including SYBR Green I. The mutant Taq polymerase, or a biologically active fragment thereof, has one or more substitutions differing from the wild type as shown in Table I.

Abstract: An apparatus to facilitate descriptor resiliency in a computer system platform is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a non-volatile memory to store firmware for a computer system platform, wherein the firmware comprises a primary descriptor including access permission details for platform components and a secondary descriptor including a backup copy of the access permission details and a controller, coupled to the first non-volatile memory, including recovery hardware to detect a problem during a platform reset with the primary descriptor, recover the contents of the primary descriptor from the backup copy included in the secondary descriptor and store the contents of the backup copy to primary descriptor.

Abstract: A method for simultaneous determination of nitrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of natural nitrate and nitrite, which quantitatively converts natural nitrate and nitrite into an organic ester and a nitro-compounds respectively, and then nitrate and nitrite ?18O and ?15N are simultaneously determined by adopting a gas chromatography/pyrolysis/gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry coupling technology (GC/Py/GC/IRMS). According to the method for simultaneously determining the nitrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of the natural nitrate salt and nitrite salt, the small amount of sample does not result in the loss, acquisition, exchange and fractionation of nitrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: Proteases are enzymes which hydrolyze protein enzymes, eliminating their activity. The present invention exploits the hydrolyzing activity of proteases including proteinase K, endoproteinase LysC and/or trypsin to control the activity of restriction enzymes and/or eliminate or reduce production of unwanted DNA or RNA fragments (known as star activity).

Abstract: An example includes detecting receiving a bus turn-around (BTA) sequence after detecting a voltage level; sending a BTA acknowledgement in response to the BTA sequence; and sending a configuration command to a peripheral device after the interface is initialized based on the BTA acknowledgement.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to process touch data. An example apparatus includes machine learning accelerator circuitry to execute a machine learning algorithm on touch data from touch sensor circuitry; and determine, based on an output of the machine learning algorithm, whether a touch input corresponding to the touch data was intentional; transceiver circuitry to, after a determination that the touch input was intentional, provide touch coordinates to memory; and processor circuitry to, after the determination that the touch input was intentional: access the touch coordinates in the memory; and perform an action based on the touch coordinates.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for simultaneous determination of nitrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of natural nitrate and nitrite, which quantitatively converts natural nitrate and nitrite into an organic ester and a nitro-compounds respectively, and then nitrate and nitrite ?18O and ?15N are simultaneously determined by adopting a gas chromatography/pyrolysis/gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry coupling technology (GC/Py/GC/IRMS). According to the method for simultaneously determining the nitrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of the natural nitrate salt and nitrite salt, the small amount of sample does not result in the loss, acquisition, exchange and fractionation of nitrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus comprising a first interface, a second interface, a third interface, and an interconnection fabric. The first interface may transfer a first stream of data traffic. The second interface, which may be an enhanced Serial Peripheral Interface (eSPI) interface, may transfer a second stream of data traffic and a third stream of data traffic. The third interface may transfer a fourth stream of data traffic. The interconnection fabric may couple the first interface to the second interface and may couple the second interface to the third interface. The second interface may initiate a transfer of an outbound data stream from one of the second stream of data traffic or the third stream of data traffic based on an available-space credit indicator. The second interface may receive an inbound data stream based upon the outbound data stream.

Abstract: An experimental method and apparatus for CO2 displacement process of ultra-low permeability oil reservoir are provided. The apparatus comprises a displacement container and a core holder. The displacement container comprises a water container, an oil container and a gas container. The core holder is respectively connected with the water container, the oil container and the gas container through a connecting pipe; and the core holder connects with a gas-liquid separator through the connecting pipe. By designing the experimental apparatus, the problem of deviation of the experimental result caused by the reduction of the accuracy of the experimental apparatus is solved. Under the condition that the accuracy of the experiment is guaranteed, a relatively reasonable injection mode is obtained through the designed experimental method, and the recovery efficiency is improved.

Abstract: Polymer compositions and films are provided. The polymer compositions include (A) 10-50 wt % heterogeneously branched Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed LLDPE polymer having a composition distribution breadth index (CBDI)<50.0%; and (B) 90-50 wt % metallocene-catalyzed LLDPE polymer having melt index 0.5 g/10 min to 5.0 g/10 min; melt index ratio from 20 to 40; weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from 20,000 to 200,000 g/mol; a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) from 2.0 to 4.5; density 0.910 to 0.925 g/cm3; CDBI less than 35.0%; and comonomer distribution such that a first peak and a second peak in a comonomer distribution analysis, wherein the first peak has a maximum at a log(Mw) value of 4.3 to 4.7 and a TREF elution temperature of 85.0° C. to 95.0° C. and the second peak has a maximum at a log(Mw) value of 5.1 to 5.6 and a TREF elution temperature of 60.0° C. to 70.0° C.