Abstract:
A collar includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first material strip having a first end and an opposing second end, a first connector coupled to the first end, and a second connector coupled to the opposing second end. The second portion includes a second material strip having a third end and an opposing fourth end, a third connector coupled to the third end, and a fourth connector coupled to the opposing fourth end. The first connector is configured to selectively engage with the third connector and the second connector is configured to selectively engage with the fourth connector to facilitate selectively coupling the first portion and the second portion together.
Abstract:
This invention discloses an approach regarding the use of solid-phase microextractions (SPMEs) in the analytical, bioanalytical, combinatorial sciences, and all other applicable areas of measurement science. The approach applies to the analysis of exceedingly small volumes of a liquid specimen (10s-100s of μL), and how the concepts of negligible depletion (ND) can be used within the context of tradeoff between extractive (reaction) kinetics, extractive capacity, and sample flow rate as a means to obviate the need to deliver accurately a small volume sample for SPME analysis, improving the ease-of-use for a number of different SPME-based measurements including, for example, disease markers in immunoassays for health care.
Abstract:
This invention discloses a design of microplates and microarrays to improve utility. The new design constructs a physical flux barrier that limits thermocapillary and other mass transfer contributions to the heterogeneous accumulation of reactant at the surface of a well or array address. The improved control of reactant delivery results in a much more uniform distribution of reactant across an address, thereby improving the accuracy of the measured response.
Abstract:
This invention discloses an approach is improve the strength and reproducibility of the signal generated in FTAs using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) through the design of an approach to generate the plasmonically-enhanced signal for SERS, surface-enhanced infrared (SEIRA), and other enhanced spectroscopies. The design incorporates: (1) a particle-particle coupling strategy that is triggered by the selective capture of an analyte to a particle that has been immobilized on a membrane and has been modified to act as a capture substrate; (2) the selective tagging of the captured analyte by a nanoparticle also designed to generate an amplified plasmonic signal upon tagging; and (3) the incorporation of an internal nanoparticle standard to account for fluctuations in flow rates and flow paths. Collectively, these developments improve the accuracy and precision of the analysis as well as the SPME analysis accurately, improving the ease-of-use for a number of different SPME-based measurements, including, for example, those focused on disease markers using immunoassays and a range of other assay formats.
Abstract:
A leash capable of being stored on an animal and capable of applying a variable amount of pressure on an animal. The leash is capable of storage around the neck or body of an animal, such as a dog. Then, when use of the leash is desired, the collar or harness is transformed into a leash that places varying pressure on the animal's neck or body so optimal restraint is achieved. The leash can be configured to serve as a collar or harness encompassing either the body of the animal or the animal's neck. The leash is adjustable such that only the appropriate amount of pressure is applied to guide the dog or animal.
Abstract:
Methods, systems, structures and arrays are disclosed, such as a resistive memory array which includes access devices, for example, back-to-back Zener diodes, that only allow current to pass through a coupled resistive memory cell when a voltage drop applied to the access device is greater than a critical voltage. The array may be biased to reduce standby currents and improve delay times between programming and read operations.
Abstract:
A communications system operator provides to each user of a multi-user communications system a committed information rate (CIR). When a user requests bandwidth for transmission, a system controller queues the user in a high-priority subclass A. The system controller allocates bandwidth to the user at the head of the queue as requested but if the user's bandwidth, measured as an average over a sampling time, exceeds its CIR, it is moved into a low-priority subclass B. The user can then only obtain further bandwidth after other users in the high-priority subclass have been allocated bandwidth up to their CIRs. If a user in the low-priority subclass only receives allocation of a small amount of bandwidth, so that its average inforamtion rate falls below its CIR, it is moved back in to the queue in the high-priority subclass.
Abstract:
A pet grooming tool comprises a pet engageable portion formed of polymeric material and having a plurality of teeth. A method of forming a pet grooming tool comprises molding a pet engageable portion out of a first polymeric material and thereafter over-molding a handle portion to the pet engageable portion.
Abstract:
A packet switched communications network comprises a controller (11) and a plurality of controlled units (12, 13, 14) arranged in a ring. Each of the controlled units comprises a switch (31) at its input, each switch including control means (44) that are responsive to control instructions transmitted by the controller (11). Depending on the instructions the switch (33) will either be configured to pass control instructions and data into or out of the controlled unit (12, 13, 14), or to forward the control instructions and data to a further controlled unit (12, 13, 14) that is connected to the controller (11) or back to the controller (11). In order for units in the ring, that are not registered with the controller (11), to acquire an address, the controller (11) transmits periodically broadcast packets, which contain a unique registration address to be used by an unregistered unit. Once registered, the unit can receive control instructions from the controller (11) as well as data.