A collision avoidance system (CAS) is described that includes one or more sensor technologies, including, for example, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) sensing technology. The collision avoidance system is designed to reliably track the location and speed of vehicles and the distance between vehicles over a wide variety of track and terrain. The collision avoidance system may utilize information from a variety of sensor technologies to determine whether one or more vehicles violate speed and/or separation criteria, and may generate a warning.

A method and apparatus for performing a quick search of a path display terminal are provided. The quick search device of a path display terminal comprises: a vehicle position display unit for displaying a position of a vehicle on a map generated based on map data; a quick search display unit for displaying a quick search area for inputting a search word in a portion of the map; a search unit for searching for a destination corresponding to the search word; and a path display unit for generating and displaying a path from the vehicle position to the destination.

A physiological trend monitor has a sensor signal responsive to multiple wavelengths of light transmitted into a tissue site. The transmitted light is detected after attenuation by pulsatile blood flow within the tissue site. A processor has an input responsive to the sensor signal and a physiological parameter output. Features are extracted from the physiological parameter output. Criteria are applied to the features. An alarm output is generated when the criteria are satisfied.

A communication process between two constitutive elements of the network of electricity distribution in a domestic or industrial premise including circuit breakers, electrical modules, switches, electrical plugs and light connection devices. The process including the following steps: assignment by a protocol such as DHCP, BootP or RARP of a first IP address to a first element of the power distribution network, assignment of a second IP address to a second element, and establishment of a communication between the first and second elements of the power distribution network.

A method and system for tracking a body's bio-readings and environmental information in which such bio-readings are generated is disclosed. Conventional bio-reading sensor technology may be used in combination with technology for receiving information from electronic tags associated with items in a body's environment. Such technology may include RFID smart tags associated with items in an environment. Such smart tags store information describing the item associated with the smart tag. An RFID smart tag reader may be provided for retrieving item description information stored in such smart tags. The combination of bio-reading data and environmental data provide a power tool in evaluating behavioral and environmental variables that affect a body's bio-readings.

The invention relates to a universal wireless trainable transceiver unit with integrated bidirectional wireless interface functionality, and a method for same. Using a scan, push button or untrained channel mode, a user may enter into a wireless bidirectional interface mode of a trainable transceiver. The interface mode allows a user to select a sub-set of modes that include diagnostics, flash and vehicle interface. Each mode provides the trainable transceiver to communicate wirelessly in a bidirectional manner with another remote device.

A system and method is provided for monitoring hygiene compliance.

A system for measuring a property of a sample is provided. The system comprises a diagnostic measuring device having a memory and a diagnostic test strip for collecting the sample. The strip has embedded thereon a pattern representative of at least first data and second data, the first data being data representing at least one of parameters related to measuring the property, codes usable for calibration of the diagnostic measuring device, or parameters indicating proper connection between the measuring device and the test strip and the second data usable for detecting and rejecting potential errors affecting the proper measurement of the property.

A method of operating the automated sample workcell for processing one or more biological samples is presented. The method comprises receiving one or more biological samples. Each biological sample is contained in a sample tube. Each sample tube is a tube type. If a test order was received for at least one of the biological samples, the test order being indicative of one or more first processing steps, the workcell can automatically execute the one or more first processing steps. If the test order was not received, one or more second processing steps can be determined based on the tube type of the sample tube that contains the at least one biological sample and the one or more second processing steps can then be executed.

The subject of the invention is a method for determining the H2S content arising during the warm storage of sulfur-containing crude and residual oils and mineral distillates containing sulfur-containing crude and/or residual oils, in which a sample of the sulfur-containing mineral oil is dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture that boils at more than 200° C. and a carrier gas is caused to flow through the solution of the sulfur-containing mineral oil at temperatures above 80° C., and the quantity of hydrogen sulfide carried out with the carrier gas is analyzed quantitatively.

A method and apparatus for dating a body sample, such as blood, includes taking at least one spectroscopic measurement of the sample at at least two predetermined positions in the spectrum having spectral characteristics corresponding to at least two predetermined substances present in the sample that have a time varying relationship with each other. A measured relative concentration of each of the predetermined substances is then determined from the measurement, and the measured relative concentrations of the two predetermined substances is compared with a known variation of the relative concentrations of the two predetermined substances over time. A good fit of the measured relative concentrations to the known variation of the relative concentrations is then determined, so as to provide an indication of the age of the sample. Alternatively, instead of measuring the relative concentrations of each of the predetermined substances, the rate of change of the relative concentrations is determined.

Disclosed are methods and systems for the analysis of testosterone in a sample using supported liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A system and method for creating a plurality of denaturation curves is disclosed. In accordance with certain embodiments, one variable, such as salt content, pH or another parameter, is varied to create a plurality of different buffer solutions. Each is then used to create a denaturation graph. The plurality of denaturation graphs allows analysis of the effect of that variable on protein stability.

An improved analytical method for analysis of dianhydrogalactitol preparations provides a method for determining the purity of dianhydrogalactitol and detecting impurities in preparations of dianhydrogalactitol, as well as identifying any such impurities. The method employs high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in particular, HPLC with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD); the HPLC can be followed by tandem mass spectroscopy. The method can further comprise the step of performing preparative HPLC collection of at least one specific substance peak present in a preparation of dianhydrogalactitol.

A method for detecting electromagnetic waves derived from bacterial DNA, comprising extracting and purifying nucleic acids from a sample; diluting the extracted purified nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent; measuring a low frequency electromagnetic emission over time from the diluted extracted purified nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent; performing a signal analysis of the low frequency electromagnetic emission over time; and producing an output, based on the signal analysis, in dependence on the DNA in the sample. The DNA may be extracted from at least one of blood, feces, urine, saliva, tears, seminal fluid, sweat, seminal and vaginal fluids of a patient, or water to determine, e.g., potability. The samples may be frozen. The extracting and purifying may comprise diluting the sample with an aqueous buffer and mixing; degrading proteins in the diluted sample; precipitating DNA from the buffer solution; and resuspending the precipitated DNA in an aqueous solution.

This invention relates to the field of preparation technology of optical pH sensor by co-intercalated fluorescein and 1-heptanesulfonic acid sodium into layered double hydroxide. The sensor is composed by conductive materials and the surface LDH films by co-interacted FLU and HES. The synthesis method is: first: synthesis of LDH colloid suspension, subsequently, the FLU and HES co-intercalated LDH colloid solution was prepared following the ion-exchange method, then the thin film of FLU-HES/LDH was spreaded on the surface of the conductive material by electrophoretic deposition, and the oriental pH sensor was synthesized. The advantages of the present invention is: first, the LDH matrix provides chromophore molecules with a confined and stable environment; the novel electrophoretic deposition strategy in this work provides a method for precise control of thickness (ranging from nanometers to micrometers), and the oriental pH sensor show good pH responsive.

A biosensor and method of making are disclosed. The biosensor is configured to detect a target and may include a peptide immobilized on a sensing component, the sensing component having an anode and a cathode. The immobilized peptide may comprise an antimicrobial peptide binding motif for the target. The sensing component has an electrical conductivity that changes in response to binding of the immobilized peptide to the target. The immobilized peptide may bind one or more targets selected from the list consisting of: bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, pathogens, protozoa, fungi, viruses, and cancerous cells. The biosensor may have a display with a readout that is responsive to changes in electrical conductivity of the sensing component. The display unit may be wirelessly coupled to the sensing component. A resonant circuit with an inductive coil may be electrically coupled to the sensing component. A planar coil antenna may be disposed in proximity to the resonant circuit, the planar coil antenna being configured to provide power to the sensing component.

Disclosed are polyvalent macromolecules, compositions comprising the macromolecules, and methods of use. The polyvalent macromolecules have a polymer backbone and pendent groups attached to the polymer backbone. Some or all of the pendent groups have optionally a linker, a surface-seeking group capable of binding strongly to a metal surface, and a spectroscopically detectable chromophore detectable.

The present disclosure relates to a molecularly imprinted structure for detection of a pentraxin protein and a method for preparing the same by synthesizing a reactive group-pentraxin protein ligand complex specifically reacting with the pentraxin protein and being polymerizable with a crosslink agent to detect a pentraxin protein by using the complex. The present disclosure also provides a chip for detection of a C-reactive protein and a method for preparing the same, the chip including a molecularly imprinted layer having excellent sensitivity to a C-reactive protein and an improved binding force to a metal substrate by using click chemistry.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor including a substrate, two or more electrodes, a conductive layer applied to the substrate and a molecularly imprinted polymer layer applied to the conductive layer is disclosed herein The MIP sensor may form part of an MIP sensor system that can be used to detect and quantify target molecules.

The present application provides apparatus and methods for determining the density of a fluid sample. In particular, it provides a sensor device which can be loaded with a fluid sample such as blood, and which further comprises at least one oscillating beam member or resonator. Exposure of the blood sample to clotting agents allows a clotting reaction to commence. The device allows the density of the sample fluid to be monitored with reference to the oscillation of the vibrating beam member, thus allowing the monitoring of the clotting of the fluid sample.

A sample is cleaned up for spectroscopic analysis by receiving a slide substrate having the sample thereon, fixing the sample to a substrate surface of the slide substrate by applying heat to the slide substrate for a predetermined heating time and incubating the sample on the slide substrate for a predetermined incubation time after fixing the sample to the slide substrate. The sample is further cleaned by washing the sample on the slide substrate after the sample has been incubated and drying the sample by applying heat to the slide substrate for a predetermined drying time, wherein the sample on the slide substrate after drying has retained particles of interest and interferant particles are removed from the substrate. A substrate is also provided for sample collection, which is culturable and Raman silent.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for determination of ion concentrations, particularly in downhole water from hydrocarbon wells, aquifers etc. It is useful in a wide range of applications, including predicting the formation of scale and fingerprinting waters from different sources. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of ligands whose electronic configuration is altered by the binding of the scaling ions within a water sample. These alterations are detected electrochemically by applying varying potential to electrodes and measuring current flow as potential is varied, from which is derived the concentration of scaling ions in the fluid.

A method for analyzing the liquefied petroleum gas includes the following steps. Provide a sample of the liquefied petroleum gas, and one main component group of the liquefied petroleum gas includes at least one sub component group. Analyze the sample of the liquefied petroleum gas so as to obtain a first measured THC corresponding to the main component group and a second measured THC corresponding to the sub component group. Obtain a regressed THC according to the second measured THC and a predetermined relationship of THC. Obtain a result of THC according to the first measured THC, the regressed THC, and a predetermined range of THC. The predetermined range of THC corresponds to the main component group. The device for analyzing the liquefied petroleum gas includes an inlet, a multiposition valve, a first column, a second column, an analyzing apparatus, and a computing unit.

Methods and systems for selectively capturing analytes, such as cells, e.g., circulating tumor cells (CTCs), from fluid samples are disclosed. The methods include contacting the sample with an analyte binding moiety that selectively binds to the analytes; optionally separating first components of the sample including a majority of the analytes bound to the binding moieties from second components of the sample using size-based separation, e.g., in a microfluidic channel; adding to the first components of the sample a plurality of binding agents under conditions that enable a plurality of the binding agents to be linked to the analyte binding moieties to form multivalent tagging agents bound to the analyte; passing the first components of the sample past a surface to which is attached a plurality of capture agents that selectively bind to the binding agents; and capturing the analytes by providing conditions that enable the multivalent tagging agents bound to the analytes to bind to one or more of the capture agents.

A chemiresistive biosensor for detecting an analyte can include a high specific surface area substrate conformally coated with a conductive polymer, and a binding reagent immobilized on the conductive polymer, wherein the binding reagent has a specific affinity for the analyte. The conductive polymer can be deposited on a substrate by oCVD.

There is disclosed a method for producing a molecule immobilizing substrate, comprising at least the steps of: forming, on a substrate, a monomolecular film including hydroxyl groups, cyano groups, or oxiranyl groups, which are oriented toward an outmost surface of the monomolecular film; andchemically modifying the hydroxyl groups, cyano groups, or oxiranyl groups of the monomolecular film to transform them into carboxyl groups, to thereby form, on the substrate, the monomolecular film including the carboxyl groups, which are oriented toward an outmost surface of the monomolecular film. There can be provided: a method for producing a molecule immobilizing substrate which is free of occurrence of an immobilized-molecule peeling problem in the case of conducting an assay by immobilizing molecules on the substrate.

A method for disabling and re-enabling third-party advertisements is disclosed. An Internet accessible “virtual world” or interactive on-line community can have its advertisements disabled by the entering and subsequent validation of a registration code that is associated with a toy into a website, once validated, displaying a virtual representation of the toy on the website, providing virtual world content so that the virtual representation of the toy is caused to interact with the virtual world content and the toy virtual representations of other users, displaying advertisement on the website in a first mode and allowing customization of the virtual world content including the disabling of advertisements in a second mode. In a similar manner the third party advertisements can be re-enabled.

This invention relates, e.g., to a method for determining if a subject has myocardial ischemia, comprising (a) providing a blood sample obtained from a subject suspected of having myocardial ischemia; (b) determining in the sample the amount of one or more of the following proteins: (i) Lumican and/or (ii) Extracellular matrix protein 1 and/or (iii) Carboxypeptidase N; and (c) comparing the amount(s) of the protein(s) to a baseline value that is indicative of the amount of the protein in a subject that does not have myocardial ischemia, wherein a statistically significantly increased amount of the protein(s) compared to the baseline value is indicative of myocardial ischemia. Other proteins indicative of myocardial ischemia are also described, as are methods for treating a subject based on a diagnostic procedure of the invention, and kits for carrying out a method of the invention.

The present invention provides methods for preventing clumping of cells in microfluidic devices by addition of diazolidinyl urea (DU). DU can be added to samples at the time of collection or can be added to samples post-collection. DU can also be pre-added to sample collection devices.

An apparatus for measuring a volume of fluid includes at least one emitter configured to project a signal toward a predetermined position of a sample container, at least one receiver configured to receive the signal after the signal interacts with the sample container and a fluid transfer device in communication with the receiver and sample container. A change in the signal received by the receiver indicates when the fluid has dropped below the predetermined position. The apparatus determines a volume of fluid that the fluid transfer device has removed from the sample container when the receiver detects that the fluid has dropped below the predetermined position.

The invention encompasses analyzers and analyzer systems that include a single particle analyzer, methods of using the analyzers and analyzers systems to analyze samples, either for single particles, e.g., protein molecules, or for multiple particles (multiplexing), methods of doing business based on the use of the analyzers or analyzer systems of the system, and electronic media for storing parameters useful in the analyzers and analyzer systems of the invention.

The present invention relates to a high-temperature furnace for T(O)C measurement of a sample, which has a furnace housing which bounds a vaporization space and has a sample opening for the dropwise introduction of the sample and at least one flushing opening for introduction of a flushing liquid. According to the invention, the furnace housing is lined with a spinel ceramic on an inner side facing the vaporization space. By means of the spinel ceramic, the vaporization space is lined with a material which allows particularly high temperatures within the vaporization space and thus very complete combustion and is at the same time very resistant to temperature changes. This allows cleaning with a flushing liquid at essentially the operating temperature of the vaporization space and removal of deposited salts, in particular recrystallized organic salts, from the vaporization space in the flushing liquid in dissolved or undissolved form. Aging of the high-temperature furnace by deposited salts can thereby be avoided or at least significantly retarded.

Fluorescent pH detector and methods for measuring pH using the fluorescent pH detector.

The invention provides a binding layer comprising a polysaccharide substituted by carboxylic groups or derivatives thereof exhibiting high performance in the binding of ligand molecules and in the interaction thereof with analyte molecules. A method for the preparation of the binding layer and for the assaying of various analyte molecules is also provided.

Disclosed herein are antibody-nanoparticle conjugates that include two or more nanoparticles (such as gold, palladium, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt, iridium, or an alloy of two or more thereof) directly linked to an antibody or fragment thereof through a metal-thiol bond. Methods of making the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates disclosed herein include reacting an arylphosphine-nanoparticle composite with a reduced antibody to produce an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate. Also disclosed herein are methods for detecting a target molecule in a sample that include using an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate (such as the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates described herein) and kits for detecting target molecules utilizing the methods disclosed herein.

Amount of combined nitric oxide or nitric oxide present as iron nitrosyls in a blood sample is determined by directing a low power electromagnetic radiation beam at a blood sample to liberate nitric oxide gas, dissolving the liberated nitric oxide gas and electrochemically detecting amount of dissolved nitric oxide gas.

A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.

A hook assembly includes an end cap having an outer periphery. The end cap is configured to be connected to a power tool. A hook is rotatably coupled to the outer periphery of the end cap. An O-ring is positioned between the outer periphery of the end cap and the hook. A protrusion is included on one of the outer periphery of the end cap and the hook to frictionally engage the O-ring to secure the hook in at least one selected rotational position relative to the end cap.

A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.

An instrument is configured to receive a staple cartridge to staple tissue and expel a fluid from within a container in the staple cartridge. The staple cartridge has an upper deck including staple apertures and orifices formed therein. The orifices are in fluid communication with the containers. The staple cartridge includes staple drivers having a driver body to translate a staple and a container protrusion to expel the fluid out the orifices. The fluid may be expelled while driving the staples out through the staple apertures. The container may be vertically compressible container or, in one alternative, may be a container having a channel and a sealant that is configured to be pierced as the fluid is expelled. Some configurations for the fluid include a hemostatic agent, thrombin, a gel, or a medicament. The containers may also be formed as reservoirs defined within the upper deck and/or cartridge body.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a spontaneous joining unit and a deformative joining unit. The spontaneous joining unit overlaps a first substrate and a second substrate and spontaneously joins mutual center portions of respective joint faces of the first substrate and the second substrate. The deformative joining unit deforms at least one peripheral portion of the respective joint faces of the first substrate and second substrate joined by the spontaneous joining unit toward the other peripheral portion and joins the mutual peripheral portions of the respective joint faces.

An exemplary surgical apparatus may include a feeder belt lying substantially in a single plane; and staples fixed to and frangibly separable from the feeder belt. A cartridge may hold at least one feeder belt, where that cartridge may be detachably held by a receiver. The cartridge itself may be reloadable. A surgical method may include providing a surgical instrument including a detachable cartridge holding a feeder belt, where staples are fixed to and frangibly separable from the feeder belt; deforming at least one staple to a deformed state; frangibly separating at least one deformed staple from the feeder belt; and removing the cartridge from the surgical instrument.

A surgical stapling device and method for joining tissue portions are provided including a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the handle assembly, a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, and an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device. The anvil assembly includes a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft. A sleeve member is slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and is transitionable between a first position, where the sleeve member engages the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in an un-tilted condition, and a second position, where the sleeve member is disengaged from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to tilt.

An end effector for use with a surgical stapler comprising a staple cartridge having a tissue contacting surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, an anvil plate having a tissue contacting surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, wherein the first and second side surfaces of each of the staple cartridge and anvil plate have overmolded zones, a buttress releasably disposed on the tissue contacting surfaces of each of the staple cartridge and the anvil plate, and a pair of sutures wherein each suture is bonded to the respective overmolded zones of the first and second side surfaces configured to retain the respective buttress atop the respective tissue contacting surfaces.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument includes a handle portion, a body portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a first longitudinal axis and a loading unit. The loading unit includes a tool assembly, the loading adapted to be coupled to the body portion. The instrument also includes a sensor tube movably positioned within the body portion, the sensor tube adapted to engage the loading unit and a load switch coupled to a microcontroller. The load switch is adapted to be actuated by the sensor tube when the sensor tube is engaged by the loading unit being inserted into the body portion.

An apparatus for joining two hollow organ sections with an annular array of surgical staples includes a staple cartridge, an anvil, a buttress member, and a buttress mount. In particular, the staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array. The anvil includes an anvil member and a shaft extending therefrom. The anvil member defines a plurality of staple pockets for deforming the surgical staples. The anvil is movable relative to the staple cartridge component between spaced apart and approximated positions to adjustably clamp tissue between the staple cartridge and the anvil. The buttress member is concentrically aligned with the plurality of staple pockets defined in the anvil member. The buttress mount is detachably secured with the shaft of the anvil. The buttress mount includes at least one support member radially extending outward to secure the buttress member to the anvil member.

A corner device (10) having a main body (12) for carrying information or an ornamental pattern on an upper surface and locating formation (14) extending from one end of the main body. The locating formation locates and aligns the corner device with respect to an article before attaching the corner device to the article. The locating formation is shaped to receive the legs of a staple on either side thereof. The device also includes a folding area adapted to allow the main body to be folded over the locating formation once the corner device has been attached to the article, thereby to display the information or ornamental pattern.

A method and device for controlling the compression of tissue include clamping tissue between a first clamping member and a second clamping member by driving at least one of the clamping members with an electric motor toward a predetermined tissue gap between the clamping members and, during the clamping, monitoring a parameter of the electric motor indicative of a clamping force exerted to the tissue by the clamping members. The method and device include, during the clamping, controlling the electric motor, based on the monitored parameter, to limit the clamping force to a predetermined maximum limit.

A fastener cartridge can comprise a support portion, a tissue thickness compensator positioned relative to the support portion, and a plurality of fasteners positioned within the support portion and/or the tissue thickness compensator which can be utilized to fasten tissue. In use, the fastener cartridge can be positioned in a first jaw of a surgical fastening device, wherein a second jaw, or anvil, can be positioned opposite the first jaw. To deploy the fasteners, a staple-deploying member is advanced through the fastener cartridge to move the fasteners toward the anvil. As the fasteners are deployed, the fasteners can capture at least a portion of the tissue thickness compensator therein along with at least a portion of the tissue being fastened.