Abstract: The present invention includes analyte measurement systems, analyte measurement meters, analyte testing devices, cartridges thereof and integrated circuits for use therewith, and further includes methods related to the use of the integrated circuits and, in certain embodiments, to the counting or tracking of parameters related to the cartridges and analyte test devices.

Abstract: This method for estimating biological or chemical parameters in a sample (E) comprises steps consisting of putting (102) the sample (E) through a processing chain, obtaining a signal representative of said biological or chemical parameters as a function of at least one variable of the processing chain, and estimating (104, 106, 108, 110) said biological or chemical parameters using a signal processing device by Bayesian inference, on the basis of a direct analytical modeling of said signal as a function of said biological or chemical parameters of the biological sample and as a function of technical parameters of the processing chain. At least two of said biological or chemical and technical parameters have a probabilistic dependence relationship between each other and signal processing by Bayesian inference is further accomplished on the basis of modeling by a conditional prior probability distribution of this dependence.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a handheld food additive detector are described. In one aspect, the food additive detector includes a test strip treated with or comprising chemical(s) reactive to at least one target characteristic (e.g., additive(s), compound(s) created as a result of stale/old food, etc.). Responsive to a food sample being placed on the strip, a sensor operatively coupled to the handheld device measures one or more of the strip characteristics (e.g., color, contrast, etc.) resulting from placement of the sample on the strip. The device analyzes the sensor measurement value(s) to determine presence, quantity, concentration, percentage, relative amount, and/or so on, of the target food additive(s), or other characteristics of the food that pertain, for example, to freshness or staleness. Results of the analysis are presented to a user.

Abstract: In a plasma processing chamber, a method and an arrangement to stabilize pressure are provided. The method includes providing coarse pressure adjustments in an open-loop manner and thereafter providing fine pressure adjustments in a closed-loop manner. The coarse pressure adjustments are performed by rapidly re-position confinement rings employing an assumed linear relationship between the conductance and the confinement rings position to bring the pressure in the plasma generating region quickly to roughly a desired set point. The fine pressure adjustments are performed by at least employing mechanical vacuum pump(s), turbo pump(s), confinement ring positioning and/or combinations thereof to achieve a derive pressure set point.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for analyzing protein samples, e.g., monoclonal antibodies, via the SITRS technique, as well as methods and systems that facilitate the processing of data generated by the SITRS technique.

Abstract: An image processing system extracts parts or characteristics of interest from prepared biological samples One suitable use of the image processing system is to find biomarkers. But many other suitable uses are possible. Some components of the system include image preprocessing (data interpolation, retention time alignment, image noise filtering, background estimation, and formation of a composite image); image feature extraction (peaks, isotope groups, and charge groups); and computation of feature characteristics and expression statistics, differential expression, and non-differential expression. Outputs of the system include a candidate list of parts or characteristic of interest for aiding further discovery.

Abstract: A Lab On a Chip (LOC) has a Sample Preparation Module (SPM) coupled to a sample inlet, a microchannel coupled to the SPM, and an optic module optically proximate to the microchannel. The optic module holds multiple lenses, each of which has a different effective focal length, such that all fields of focus within the microchannel are covered as objects suspended within the liquid sample pass through the microchannel.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium are provided for analyzing data from a component separation/mass spectrometer (CS-MS), wherein an intensity peak is determined, with an area thereof determined using an integration procedure, in each two-dimensional data set. The intensity peak indicates a sample component, and the area thereof indicates a relative quantity of the sample component. An integration procedure determines the area of selected peaks of a first portion of the two-dimensional data sets associated with a first sample component, and is applied to the intensity peaks of a second portion having the areas thereof not determined by that integration procedure, to adjust the relative quantity of the first sample component in the second portion samples relative to the relative quantity of the first sample component in the first portion samples. The re-integration may also involve determining whether a second sample component is indicated by the intensity peak.

Abstract: Modified host bio-data includes biogenetic modeling, sequence engineering, material manufacturing, gene therapy, embedded sensing, programmable operation, tissue scaffolding, clinical trials, contamination checks, and host monitoring. Bio-data are managed for device malfunction or infectious release. Genetically programmable finite state module having partitions or multi-cavity may be accessed for embedded host biometric application. Electronic computer or functionally equivalent system or distributed systems for processing digital data serves to manage modified host data. Unique host identifier and modification indication are stored or accessed in authenticated manner. Modification may be structural tissue regeneration or genetic therapy.

Abstract: Sensor devices and sensing methods are provided. A sensor device is provided two flow channels, each comprising a sensor, and analyte flow is alternated between the two channels such that the sensors alternately serve as a sensor and a reference, thereby increasing accuracy of the sensors. The device is useful, for example, in chemical sensing using a variety of sensor types including without limitation: chemiresistors, gravimetric sensors, optical sensors, among others. Related sensing methods also are provided.

Abstract: A method and a device for the automatic determination of selected physical and colloidal chemistry parameters by determining the attenuation of radiated waves through monodisperse or polydisperse dispersion samples subjected to gravitation or centrifugation, wherein during the segregation by means of centrifugation or gravitation, the instantaneous transmission IT(t, r) characterizing the current segregation status of the waves radiated with the intensity Io(t, r) and/or the instantaneous scattering IS(t, r) as a function of the position within the samples is repeatedly determined and recorded at high resolution at any arbitrary time for one or more wavelengths over the entire length of the sample or in selected partial sections of it, simultaneously for multiple and even concentrated samples with known and/or unknown physical and colloidal chemistry properties.

Abstract: A laser and monitoring system is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, the system includes a laser, pulse shaper and detection device. A further aspect of the present invention employs a femtosecond laser and binary pulse shaping (BPS). Still another aspect of the present invention uses a laser beam pulse, a pulse shaper and a SHG crystal. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a multiphoton intrapulse interference phase scan (hereinafter “MIIPS”) method is used to characterize the spectral phase of femtosecond laser pulses and to correct them. A further aspect of the system of the present invention is employed to monitor environmental chemicals and biological agents, including toxins, explosives, and diseases.

Abstract: A system for determining occurrence factors of particles includes a user interface device, and an apparatus for detecting the occurrence factors of particles. The apparatus for detecting the occurrence factors of particles includes a storage unit that stores a program for executing a calculation method for calculating a likelihood of each of the occurrence factors of particles in the form of a score; and a calculation unit for calculating the score for each of the occurrence factors of particles based on particle distributions at least on a surface of a substrate using the stored program. The user interface device displays the calculated score for each of the occurrence factors of particles.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for determining an optimal manner of introducing and moving an introduced entity from an introduction site to a target tissue region. The method comprises: calculating a modeling value at the introduction site, the pathway to the target tissue region, and the target tissue region; calculating a diffusion value representing a concentration gradient of the introduced entity as it moves through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; calculating a flow value representing how the introduced entity is transported through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; and determining a time, location, and method for introducing and moving the introduced entity based on the modeling value, the diffusion value, and the flow value.

Abstract: Methods for determining deposit formation tendencies for a plurality of fluid samples of different compositions is provided. Each sample includes fuel additive compositions containing one or more fuel additives or fuel compositions containing one or more fuels and one or more fuel additives. The methods can advantageously be optimized using combinatorial chemistry, in which a database of combinations of fuel compositions are generated. As market conditions vary and/or product requirements or customer specifications change, conditions suitable for forming desired products can be identified with little or no downtime.

Abstract: A chromatograph analyzing device for automatically executing a base line setting process on an unseparated peak using preset base line conditions. The chromatograph analyzing device includes a separation unit for separating a component included in a sample, and a data processing device for identifying the component of the sample and the quantity of the component in the sample by using a chromatogram obtained from the separation.

Abstract: A multi-sensor fire detector incorporates at least one acoustic resonator and other type or types of fire sensor. Other types include smoke sensors, gas sensors or optically based fire sensors. Outputs from the acoustic resonator can be processed with or without outputs from the other type or types of fire sensors to establish the presence of an alarm condition. Multiple acoustic resonators can be incorporated into the same detector.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method analyzes the thermodynamic and mechanical properties of a molecule or collection of molecules within a chemical environment under given thermodynamic conditions. The system is based on user-defined rules for a free energy decomposition and its reconstitution, explicit solute and implicit solvent specifications, and a selection of thermodynamic conditions. One template structure or multiple template structures define an explicit solute specification. Each template structure consists of a list of atoms and their coordinates. Input data is processed to produce a flexibility and stability test and return global thermodynamic properties, such as free energy, enthalpy, entropy and heat capacity as a function of temperature. Implemented via pebble game theory, global mechanical properties are determined based on the statistics of rigid and flexible regions that thermally fluctuate over ensembles of accessible states consistent with selected order parameters.

Abstract: Methods for predicting the performance risk of a paint component are disclosed. The methods include providing a proposed paint formulation, wherein the proposed paint formulation comprises at least one paint component, and identifying previous paint formulations comprising the paint component. The methods further include evaluating formulation similarities between the previous paint formulations and the proposed paint formulation, assigning formulation similarity scores based on the formulation similarities, and determining a paint component risk score for the paint component based on the formulation similarity scores. The proposed paint formulation may be utilized in a manufacturing application when the paint component risk score satisfies a manufacturing threshold value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sample processing apparatus, comprising: a sample processing unit for processing a sample with an auxiliary item used to process the sample; an output device for outputting a processing result by the sample processing unit; and a controller for determining whether or not the auxiliary item is appropriate for the sample processing by sample processing unit, and controlling, when determining that the auxiliary item is not appropriate for the sample processing by the sample processing unit, the output device so as to output the processing result and reliability information showing that the processing result has a low reliability. Also disclosed is a method for outputting the processing result by the sample processing apparatus and a computer program product.

Abstract: A system, method, device, and computer program product to extract and gather peak information from an automated sequencer of bioinformatics into a peak database, and to manipulate and analyze the peak information within the database.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of analyzing mass spectral data based on charge states of analyte ions. In some embodiments, the methods can be used for differential profiling of samples, such as comparing a sample comprising a given compound and a sample comprising metabolites of the same compound. The methods can also be used to identify and isolate biomarkers. Systems for performing the methods, as well as computer-readable media for performing the methods, are also described.

Abstract: Provided is a novel hydrogen separation membrane formed of a Nb—W—Mo-based alloy. A method for separating hydrogen using the hydrogen separation membrane and hydrogen separation conditions are selected by a particular procedure. A hydrogen separation membrane formed of the Nb—W—Mo-based alloy membrane.

Abstract: A method of obtaining information about a heterogeneous pharmaceutical mixture is disclosed. This method involves applying an image enhancement agent, such as a stain, to the mixture. An image of the mixture can then be obtained, and information about a distribution of components of the mixture in the image can also be obtained based on spatial information derived from the application of the image enhancement agent.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing a product receives a formulation specification that includes a plurality of ingredients for the product. The system further receives cost information for the ingredients and inventory information. The system then generates a least cost formulation for the product based on the formulation specification, cost information and inventory information.

Abstract: A biosensor has an abnormal output detection system that determines whether an output signal from the redox reaction of an analyte has a normal or abnormal shape or configuration. The abnormal output detection system improves the accuracy and precision of the biosensor in determining whether an output signal has a shape or configuration that may not provide an accurate and/or precise analysis of a biological fluid. The biosensor generates an output signal in response to the redox reaction of the analyte. The biosensor normalizes the output signal and compares the normalized output signal with one or more control limits. The biosensor may generate an error signal when the normalized output signal is not within the control limits.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a device capable of reading data stored on an object, at least a portion of the object inserted into the device. The data stored on the object includes data for use in a transaction. The method further includes collecting, at the device, residue from the object in response to at least the portion of the object being inserted into the device. The method further includes determining that the residue comprises an explosive material. The method further includes generating data that is representative of the explosive material. The method further includes communicating the data that is representative of the explosive material.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay, each molecule of a plurality of molecules is attached to a support matrix with a substrate adapted for attachment and/or synthesis of molecules and an integrally-formed memory device with an optically-encoded identifier to uniquely identify the molecule attached to the substrate. The molecules are exposed to one or more processing conditions then placed within the path of an optical detector adapted to read the optically-encoded identifier and measure biochemical processes on each support matrix. The support matrices may besingulated to be read by the optical detector one at a time.

Abstract: An Aromas kit uses containers of certain discrete molecules to provide odors suitable for an olfactory education of wine properties. The disclosed molecules may be found within certain wines and provide a useful olfactory reference when smelling a finished wine sample, even when the wine sample contains a myriad of other conflicting or competing molecule smells.

Abstract: A method of autoverifying clinical test results comprises displaying an autoverification process as a flowchart on a graphical user interface. The autoverification process is defined by a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes. The autoverification process is configured to evaluate a result and determine if the test result meets a predetermined criteria. The method further comprises receiving the test result and automatically performing the autoverification process on the test result. A system for creating and implementing the autoverification processes comprises a graphical user interface configured to display the autoverification process as a flowchart. The system includes an input configured to receive the clinical test result from a laboratory analyzer. The system also includes a processor configured to analyze the clinical test result according to the defined autoverification process.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for diagnosing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a subject, a method for assessing the effectiveness of a drug in treating ALS, and a method for determining the site of onset of ALS in a subject. Each method comprises (a) obtaining a sample from the subject, (b) analyzing the proteins in the sample by mass spectroscopy, and (c) determining a mass spectral profile for the sample. In some embodiments, the method comprises comparing the mass spectral profile of the sample to the mass spectral profile of a positive or a negative standard.

Abstract: A chromatographic analyzer is provided for facilitating curve fitting by means of the linear least-square method for a chromatogram that contains a plurality of overlapping peaks. The present invention is characterized by a chromatographic data processor for executing data processing of a chromatogram obtained by separating a sample to be measured using a column and detecting the separated sample, wherein fitting processing is executed to each peak in an arbitrary time region having the plurality of peaks of the chromatogram starting from the front side of the time region or from the back side of the time region, and the processed peaks are subtracted from the chromatogram in the time region so that the plurality of peaks in the chromatogram can be separated from one another. Thus, the plurality of overlapping peaks, particularly three or more overlapping peaks in the chromatogram can be easily separated from one another only by defining some setting conditions.

Abstract: A method for testing the linearity or non-linearity of an actual analyte concentration and a test result, where the actual concentration of the analyte and a test result are determined so that a computation based upon an algorithm may be performed, which allows computation of various variables so that regression may be performed and the linear significance may be determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the in vitro determination and typification of well-differentiated or fully differentiated mammalian cells is disclosed. The method comprises placing a cell sample on a sampling device, irradiating the cells with infrared light, preparing an FT-IR spectrum from the absorption spectrum, calculating derivatives of the FT-IR spectrum and comparing the derivatives to reference FT-IR spectra for known cell types. The apparatus comprises an infrared source and measuring apparatus capable of recording an absorption spectrum, and software for measurement, evaluation, documentation, and derivation of the absorption spectra. Fourier transformation he method is particularly useful for typing cells from tissue biopsies in preparation for cell transplantation.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a sample containing at least one compound is disclosed. Initially, a three-dimensional set of data is generated through sample analysis using time resolved and mass resolved separation techniques. The data comprises at least one signal as a function of a mass variable over a first range of measurement and of a time variable over a second range of measurement. The first range of measurement is divided into at least two mass variable intervals, and for each mass variable interval, an extracted signal is selected which is a function of the time variable. The second range of measurement is divided into at least one time variable interval. A characteristic value is then selected for each time variable interval and each extracted signal to generate a characteristic sample profile, comprising one or more characteristic values as functions of respective time variable intervals and respective mass variable intervals.

Abstract: Groups of correlated representations of variables are identified from a large amount of spectrometry data. A plurality of samples is analyzed and a plurality of measured variables is obtained from a spectrometer. A processor executes a number of steps. The plurality of measured variables is divided into a plurality of measured variable subsets. Principal component analysis followed by variable grouping (PCVG) is performed on each measured variable subset, producing one or more group representations for each measured variable subset and a plurality of group representations for the plurality of measured variable subsets. While the total number of the plurality of group representations is greater than a maximum number, the plurality of group representations is divided into a plurality of representative subsets and PCVG is performed on each subset. PCVG is performed on the remaining the plurality of group representations, producing a plurality of groups of correlated representations of variables.

Abstract: A real time gamma-ray signature/source identification method and system using principal components analysis (PCA) for transforming and substantially reducing one or more comprehensive spectral libraries of nuclear materials types and configurations into a corresponding concise representation/signature(s) representing and indexing each individual predetermined spectrum in principal component (PC) space, wherein an unknown gamma-ray signature may be compared against the representative signature to find a match or at least characterize the unknown signature from among all the entries in the library with a single regression or simple projection into the PC space, so as to substantially reduce processing time and computing resources and enable real-time characterization and/or identification.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for LC/IMS/MS analysis involve obtaining noisy raw data from a sample, convolving the data with an artifact-reducing filter, and locating, in retention-time, ion mobility, and mass-to-charge-ratio dimensions, one or more ion peaks of the convolved data.

Abstract: Naturally present chloride concentration in natural water is utilized for the development of the technique to gauge the performance of percolation tanks in space and time. The chloride mass balance technique is simple, sensitive, reliable and yet powerful enough to resolve the temporal variation due to the effect of silting or climate factors. The percolation efficiency data of percolation tanks can aid in the formulation of guidelines for selection of suitable sites for future tanks with greater efficiency. Otherwise unscientific construction of percolation tanks in sites that yield poor percolation efficiency is uneconomical, and the very purpose of their construction will be forfeited. Thus the technique developed using chloride mass balance in tank water for evaluation of tank performance is highly economy oriented.

Abstract: When a target substance's composition formula is deduced by using a mass spectrometer, if the target substance's composition formula is deduced based on an MSn spectrum and candidates are found, a composition formula candidate list including all the composition formula candidates is created, and the list is displayed in a list format. The composition formula candidates are narrowed down based on the MSn spectrum by an MS2 analysis or MS3 analysis. If there is a candidate to be excluded, the composition formula candidate list is updated, and the excluded candidate is moved to the exclusion list. Accompanying this, a composition formula candidate table is displayed in a list format on the display window. In this table, the composition formula candidates included in the exclusion list and the remaining composition formula candidates in the composition formula candidate list are simultaneously displayed with different colors so that they are visually discriminable.

Abstract: Techniques for determining effects on a biological system include determining rate constants for a particular time interval starting at an initial time. Each rate constant indicates a rate of transition from one of four states to a different one of the four states for a component of a biological system in presence of an external factor. A temporal change in a probability that the component is in a particular state after the initial time is determined without numerical iteration over multiple time steps. This includes determining three relaxation time constants that describe exponential changes based on the rate constants. The effect of the external factor on the biological system is determined based on the temporal change in the probability that the component is in the particular state. The probability at an arbitrary time is determined based on the rate constants and initial probabilities.

Abstract: The invention deals with a method for the assessment of the effect of excipients, pH and combinations thereof on the predicted absorption properties of low solubility compounds, comprising the step of assessing a change in a flux function for a combination of a low solubility compound and an excipient at at least one predefined pH value. The method allows a fast, accurate, and economic evaluation of an excipient being capable of optimizing the absorption of drug molecules, i.e. low solubility compounds. Furthermore, animal experiments can be excluded and use of compounds can be reduced in such evaluation. Thus, screening for future formulation efficacy (pH and excipient effects on solubility and permeability) of drug candidates can be justified, since the method is fast, compound-sparing, cost-effective, and reasonably accurate.

Abstract: The present invention generates a visual display of metabolomic data compiled by a database and associated processor. More particularly, the present invention provides a database for automatically receiving a three-dimensional spectrometry data set for a group of samples. The present invention also provides a processor device for manipulating the data sets to produce plots that are directly comparable to a plurality of characteristic plots corresponding to a plurality of selected metabolites. Furthermore, the processor device may generate a visual display indicating the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Thus, the present invention enables a user to analyze a series of complex data sets in a visual display that may indicate the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Furthermore, the visual display generated by embodiments of the present invention also expedites the subjective analysis of the spectrometry data sets.

Abstract: A control system (300) for optimizing a power plant includes a chemical loop having an input for receiving an input signal (369) and an output for outputting an output signal (367), and a hierarchical fuzzy control system (400) operably connected to the chemical loop. The hierarchical fuzzy control system (400) includes a plurality of fuzzy controllers (330). The hierarchical fuzzy control system (400) receives the output signal (367), optimizes the input signal (369) based on the received output signal (367), and outputs an optimized input signal (369) to the input of the chemical loop to control a process of the chemical loop in an optimized manner.

Abstract: The hybrid artificial immune system consists of three main layers, including a solution application layer that interacts with the environment, a solution generation layer that solves combinatorial optimization problems and a modeling layer that analyzes problems and presents solution scenarios. The system solves evolutionary multi-objective optimization problems in network computing, robotics, artificial neural networks, protein network modeling, evolutionary systems and evolutionary hardware.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for characterizing complex polymeric mixture of interest. Candidate solutions are eliminated from a solution space using one or more experimental measurements of a polymeric mixture of interest. The elimination step can be repeated one or more times using different experimental measurements produced by various chemical and physical protocols, so that the remaining candidate solutions converge to describe the actual polymeric mixture under investigation. Once the composition of the complex polymeric mixture has been characterized, the information thus generated can be used to facilitate, for example, the manufacture of a bio-equivalent of the complex polymeric mixture.

Abstract: Scoring functions can be markedly improved by taking into account the status environs of ligand rings (or indeed other bulky rigid ligand structures) on the ligand when the ligand is complexed with the receptor. In its most general form, the invention features, quantifying a particular component of binding affinity between a ligand and a receptor molecule. Specifically, the component in question takes into account the spatial relationship between ligand ring structure(s) (or bulky rigid ligand structures) and their ambient surroundings when the ligand is bound to the receptor molecule. The method steps may be used when quantifying a component that reflects these particular ligand features alone, or the steps may be part of a comprehensive method of quantifying binding affinity which includes numerous other factors that relate to binding affinity in addition to the component.

Abstract: A method for detecting people of interest from information sources. Method performs automatic community model generation based on uni-parity data. Correlation analysis is employed to identify links within the community. Method may be particularized for solving specific problems, for example, such as determining the activities between individuals within a money laundering ring.

Abstract: A CBRNE detection system and method for operating same are disclosed. The method provides a relatively increased Probability of Detection and a relatively decreased Probability of False Alarms for a networked system of detectors. In the illustrative embodiment, a central controller of the system is capable of receiving information from individual CBRNE detectors and of determining whether or not to issue an alarm indicating that a CBRNE event has occurred. Data obtained from individual CBRNE detectors is evaluated based on one or more “sensor alert-to-system alarm” processing modes. The various processing modes specify the requirements that must be satisfied before a system-wide “alarm” is issued.

Abstract: A method in a computer system for the review and authentication of clinical laboratory result values is provided. The method includes receiving patient data. The method also includes accessing review criteria. The method further includes comparing the patient data and the review criteria to determine if the patient data should be routed for review. The method further includes routing qualified patient data to a review hierarchy including at least one review queue defined by at least one user.