Abstract:
The present invention relates to surface-patterned microgels to which molecular beacon probes are immobilized. The immobilized molecular beacon probes exhibit both low non-specific background and high specific fluorescence. Also disclosed are related arrays, related detection methods, and preparation methods.
Abstract:
The described invention provides an ex vivo dynamic multiple myeloma (MM) cancer niche contained in a microfluidic device. The dynamic MM cancer niche includes (a) a three- dimensional tissue construct containing a dynamic ex vivo bone marrow (BM) niche, which contains a mineralized bone-like tissue containing viable osteoblasts self-organized into cohesive multiple cell layers and an extracellular matrix secreted by the viable adherent osteoblasts; and a microenvironment dynamically perfused by nutrients and dissolved gas molecules; and (b )human myeloma cells seeded from a biospecimen composition comprising mononuclear cells and the multiple myeloma cells. The human myeloma cells are in contact with osteoblasts of the BM niche, and the viability of the human myeloma cells is maintained by the MM cancer niche.
Abstract:
A device (10) which employs an acoustic signal having one or more frequencies for penetrating into ground, water, or sediments and vibrating a compliant buried object (8) is provided. When these acoustic signals encounter an acoustically compliant object (8) such as a mine, the acoustic signals vibrate the compliant object (8), leading to a vibration of the compliant object (8) against the boundaries of the surrounding medium such as ground sediment, creating a nonlinear distortion of the probing signal including the generation of harmonics and acoustic waves with combination frequencies (nonlinear signals). These nonlinear vibrating signals are received from the surface by a sensor (20). The amplitude of the measured nonlinear signals indicates the presence of an acoustically compliant object (8) such as a mine. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus which emits an electromagnetic RF probing signal and acoustic or vibration signal (modulating signal), detects the reflected electromagnetic signal from the buried object (8), and processes the received signal, identifying the modulation caused by vibration.
Abstract:
A three dimensional imaging system is disclosed which includes a three dimensional display (12), three-dimensional calibration equipment (16), and one or more two-dimensional (15) or three dimensional (14) image scanners. The three-dimensional display (12) uses optical pulses (32a-32k) and a non linear optical mixer (18) to display a three-dimensional image (17). The three-dimensional image (17) is generated in voxels of the display volume (28) as the optical mixer (18) sweeps the display volume (28). The three-dimensional calibration equipment (16) uses a hologram projected proximal to a desired object (164) to calibrate optical imaging devices (162a-162c) and to simplify the combination of the images from one or more optical imaging devices (162a-162c) into three-dimensional information. The three-dimensional image scanner (14) employs optical pulses (136, 138) and a non-linear optical mixer (128) to acquire three-dimensional images of a desired object (134). The three-dimensional image scanner (14) captures both the shape and color of a desired object (134).
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for stabilizing glow plasma discharges by suppressing the transition from glow-to-arc includes a perforated dielectric plate having an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of holes extending therethrough. The perforated dielectric plate is positioned over the cathode. Each of the holes acts as a separate active current limiting micro-channel that prevents the overall current density from increasing above the threshold for the glow-to-arc transition. This allows for a stable glow discharge to be maintained for a wide range of operating pressures (up to atmospheric pressures) and in a wide range of electric fields include DC and RF fields of varying strength.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for nondestructive testing and evaluation of materials and mechanical structures to determine their integrity reducing contact-type flaws and presence of ice on a structure. The invention employs an ultrasonic probing signal (30) and a low frequency vibration (20) applied to a structure (8) tested. In a structure without flaws or ice, these signals propagate independently without any interaction. If the structure contains a defect or ice thereon, the vibration varies the contact area of the defect or ice/structure interface, modulating the phase and amplitude of the higher frequency ultrasonic probing signal passing through the structure (8). In the frequency domain the result of this modulation manifests itself as sideband spectral components with respect to frequency of the probe wave. This can be considered as a new signal generated by a defect, so that the defect can be detected more easily when such a signal is observed.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for stabilizing glow plasma discharges by suppressing the transition from glow-to-arc includes a perforated dielectric plate having an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of holes extending therethrough. The perforated dielectric plate is positioned over the cathode. Each of the holes acts as a separate active current limiting micro-channel that prevents the overall current density from increasing above the threshold for the glow-to-arc transition. This allows for a stable glow discharge to be maintained for a wide range of operating pressures (up to atmospheric pressures) and in a wide range of electric fields include DC and RF fields of varying strength.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods for secure computation and/or communication. Entangled photons (118) are generated such that each participating party receives a series of optical pulses. Each party has private information (110, 112) which are never transmitted through public or private communication channels. Instead, each party converts their respective private information (110, 112) into measurement bases via an encryption process (114, 116) which are then applied to the entangled photons (118). After the measurement process, e.g., quantum frequency conversion (122, 124), reference indices are announced (124, 126) so that computation can be performed (128) without revealing the private information directly or indirectly.