10004results about How to "Reduce sensitivity" patented technology

The invention relates to the discovery of novel soluble neutral active Hyaluronidase Glycoproteins (sHASEGPs), methods of manufacture, and their use to facilitate administration of other molecules or to alleviate glycosaminoglycan associated pathologies. Minimally active polypeptide domains of the soluble, neutral active sHASEGP domains are described that include asparagine-linked sugar moieties required for a functional neutral active hyaluronidase domain. Included are modified amino-terminal leader peptides that enhance secretion of sHASEGP. The invention further comprises sialated and pegylated forms of a recombinant sHASEGP to enhance stability and serum pharmacokinetics over naturally occurring slaughterhouse enzymes. Further described are suitable formulations of a substantially purified recombinant sHASEGP glycoprotein derived from a eukaryotic cell that generate the proper glycosylation required for its optimal activity.

The invention relates to the discovery of novel soluble neutral active Hyaluronidase Glycoproteins (sHASEGPs), methods of manufacture, and their use to facilitate administration of other molecules or to alleviate glycosaminoglycan associated pathologies. Minimally active polypeptide domains of the soluble, neutral active sHASEGP domains are described that include asparagine-linked sugar moieties required for a functional neutral active hyaluronidase domain. Included are modified amino-terminal leader peptides that enhance secretion of sHASEGP. The invention further comprises sialated and pegylated forms of a recombinant sHASEGP to enhance stability and serum pharmacokinetics over naturally occurring slaughterhouse enzymes. Further described are suitable formulations of a substantially purified recombinant sHASEGP glycoprotein derived from a eukaryotic cell that generate the proper glycosylation required for its optimal activity.

A molecular wire crossbar memory (MWCM) system is provided. The MWCM comprises a two-dimensional array of a plurality of nanometer-scale devices, each device comprising a junction formed by a pair of crossed wires where one wire crosses another and at least one connector species connecting the pair of crossed wires in the junction. The connector species comprises a bi-stable molecular switch. The junction forms either a resistor or a diode or an asymmetric non-linear resistor. The junction has a state that is capable of being altered by application of a first voltage and sensed by application of a second, non-destructive voltage.

Provided are methods and compositions for detecting and treating normal, hypoplastic, ectopic or remnant tissue, organ or cells in a mammal. The method comprises parenterally injecting a mammalian subject, at a locus and by a route providing access to above-mentioned tissue or organ, with an composition comprising antibody / fragment which specifically binds to targeted organ, tissue or cell. The antibody / fragment may be administered alone, or labeled or conjugated with an imaging, therapeutic, cytoprotective or activating agent.

In some embodiments, the invention is a personal digital network (“PDN”) including hardware (sometimes referred to as Ingress circuitry) configured to transcrypt encrypted content that enters the PDN. Typically, the transcryption (decryption followed by re-encryption) is performed in hardware within the Ingress circuitry and the re-encryption occurs before the decrypted content is accessible by hardware or software external to the Ingress circuitry. Typically, transcrypted content that leaves the Ingress circuitry remains in re-encrypted form within the PDN whenever it is transferred between integrated circuits or is otherwise easily accessible by software, until it is decrypted within hardware (sometimes referred to as Egress circuitry) for display or playback or output from the PDN. Typically, the PDN is implemented so that no secret in Ingress or Egress circuitry (for use or transfer by the Ingress or Egress circuitry) is accessible in unencrypted form to software or firmware within the PDN or to any entity external to the PDN. Other aspects of the invention are methods for protecting content in a PDN (e.g., an open computing system) and devices (e.g., multimedia graphics cards, set top boxes, or video processors) for use in a PDN.

A system and a method of maximizing the manufacturing yield of integrated circuit (“IC”) design using IC fabrication process simulation driven layout optimization is described. An IC design layout is automatically modified through formulation of a layout optimization problem utilizing the results of layout fabrication process compliance analysis tools. The modification of layout is performed adaptively and iteratively to make an IC layout less susceptible to yield issues while maintaining design rule correctness and minimal circuit performance impact.

A capacitive sensor for determining the presence of an object, such as a user's finger or a stylus, is provided. The sensor comprises a substrate, for example made of transparent plastics material, such as PET, on which electrodes are deposited. A resistive drive electrode for example formed of transparent ITO, is arranged on one side of the substrate and a resistive sense electrode, which again may be of transparent ITO, is arranged on the other side of the substrate. Thus an overall transparent sensor may be provided. A shorting connection is also provided which is configured to connect between two locations on one of the electrodes. The electrodes are connected to respective drive and sense channels. By providing the shorting connection between two locations on one or other (or both) of the electrodes, a lower resistance connection is provided between other locations on the electrode and the corresponding drive or sense channel.

A novel apparatus and method of linearization of a digitally controlled pre-power amplifier (DPA) and RF power amplifier (PA). The mechanism is operative to perform predistortion calibration to compensate for nonlinearities in the DPA and PA circuits. A predistortion look up table (LUT) stores measured distortion compensation data that is applied to the TX data before being input to the digital to frequency converter (DFC), DPA and PA. The mechanism of the invention takes advantage of the on-chip receiver, which is normally inactive during the TX burst in a half-duplex operation, to demodulate the RF PA output and use the digital I / Q RX outputs to perform calibration of the TX pre-distortion tables. Controlled RF coupling is used to provide a sample of the RF output signal that to the receiver chain. The contents of the predistortion LUT are typically updated during the PA power up or down ramp. While the digitally-controlled PA (DPA) code is increasing (or decreasing), the amplitude and phase of the recovered I / Q samples are used to determine the instantaneous value of the AM / AM and AM / PM pre-distortion from which an update to the predistortion tables may be computed.

A TANK filter is provided for a lead wire of an active medical device (AMD). The TANK filter includes a capacitor in parallel with an inductor. The parallel capacitor and inductor are placed in series with the lead wire of the AMD, wherein values of capacitance and inductance are selected such that the TANK filter is resonant at a selected frequency. The Q of the inductor may be relatively maximized and the Q of the capacitor may be relatively minimized to reduce the overall Q of the TANK filter to attenuate current flow through the lead wire along a range of selected frequencies. In a preferred form, the TANK filter is integrated into a TIP and / or RING electrode for an active implantable medical device.

The invention describes several embodiments of an adapter which can make use of the devices in any commercially available digital cameras to accomplish different functions, such as a fundus camera, as a microscope or as an en-face optical coherence tomography (OCT) to produce constant depth OCT images or as a Fourier domain (channelled spectrum) optical coherence tomography to produce a reflectivity profile in the depth of an object or cross section OCT images, or depth resolved volumes. The invention admits addition of confocal detection and provides simultaneous measurements or imaging in at least two channels, confocal and OCT, where the confocal channel provides an en-face image simultaneous with the acquisition of OCT cross sections, to guide the acquisition as well as to be used subsequently in the visualisation of OCT images. Different technical solutions are provided for the assembly of one or two digital cameras which together with such adapters lead to modular and portable high resolution imaging systems which can accomplish various functions with a minimum of extra components while adapting the elements in the digital camera. The cost of such adapters is comparable with that of commercial digital cameras, i.e. the total cost of such assemblies of commercially digital cameras and dedicated adapters to accomplish high resolution imaging are at a fraction of the cost of dedicated stand alone instruments. Embodiments and methods are presented to employ colour cameras and their associated optical sources to deliver simultaneous signals using their colour sensor parts to provide spectroscopic information, phase shifting inferometry in one step, depth range extension, polarisation, angular measurements and spectroscopic Fourier domain (channelled spectrum) optical coherence tomography in as many spectral bands simultaneously as the number of colour parts of the photodetector sensor in the digital camera. In conjunction with simultaneous acquistion of a confocal image, at least 4 channels can simultaneously be provided using the three color parts of conventional color cameras to deliver three OCT images in addition to the confocal image.

A TANK filter is provided for a lead wire of an active medical device (AMD). The TANK filter includes a capacitor in parallel with an inductor. The parallel capacitor and inductor are placed in series with the lead wire of the AMD, wherein values of capacitance and inductance are selected such that the TANK filter is resonant at a selected frequency. In a preferred form, the TANK filter reduces or even eliminates the use of ferro-magnetic materials, and instead uses non-ferromagnetic materials so as to reduce or eliminate MRI image artifacts or the force or torque otherwise associated during an MRI image scan.

Alignment accuracy between two or more patterned layers is measured using a metrology target comprising substantially overlapping diffraction gratings formed in a test area of the layers being tested. An optical instrument illuminates all or part of the target area and measures the optical response. The instrument can measure transmission, reflectance, and / or ellipsometric parameters as a function of wavelength, polar angle of incidence, azimuthal angle of incidence, and / or polarization of the illumination and detected light. Overlay error or offset between those layers containing the test gratings is determined by a processor programmed to calculate an optical response for a set of parameters that include overlay error, using a model that accounts for diffraction by the gratings and interaction of the gratings with each others' diffracted field. The model parameters might also take account of manufactured asymmetries. The calculation may involve interpolation of pre-computed entries from a database accessible to the processor. The calculated and measured responses are iteratively compared and the model parameters changed to minimize the difference.

This invention relates to methods for treating or preventing hepatitis C virus infections in mammals using Toll-Like Receptor (TLR)7 ligands and prodrugs thereof. More particularly, this invention relates to methods of orally administering a therapeutically effective amount of one or more prodrugs of TLR7 ligands for the treatment or prevention of hepatitis C viral infection. Oral administration of these TLR7 immunomodulating ligands and prodrugs thereof to a mammal provides therapeutically effective amounts and reduced undesirable side effects.

Systems and methods according to the invention employ an acceleration sensor to characterize the synchrony or dyssynchrony of the left ventricle. Patterns of acceleration related to myocardial contraction can be used to assess synchrony or dyssynchrony. Time-frequency transforms and coherence are derived from the acceleration. Information and numerical indices determined from the acceleration time frequency transforms and coherence can be used to find the optimal pacing location for cardiac resynchronization therapy. Similarly, the information can be used to optimize timing intervals including V to V and A to V timing.

If a zoom magnification ratio of the image is changed after shooting, it is impossible to match brightness, amount of noise, exposure time between angles of view due to difference in light gathering ability of a camera. The number of one or more image-capturing units (130 to 161) having a first angle of view, among the plurality of image-capturing units, is made larger than the number of one or more image-capturing units (101 to 105) having a wider angle of view than the first angle of view. In addition, the amount of light being received in total by one or more image-capturing units (130 to 161) having a first angle of view is made approximately equal to the amount of light being received in total by one or more image-capturing units (101 to 105) having a second angle of view.

A transistor structure, such as a Double-gated FET (DG FET), that has been modified to include a charge-trapping region used to store either 2- or 4-bits of information. The charge-trapping region can, for example, be embedded in the gate dielectric stack underneath each gate electrode, or placed on the sidewalls of each gate electrode.

Filtering of optical fibers and other related devices. High-energy methods for depositing thin films directly onto the ends of optical fibers can be used to produce high-quality, high-performance filters in quantity at a reasonable cost. These high-quality filters provide the high performance needed for many demanding applications and often eliminate the need for filters applied to wafers or expanded-beam filtering techniques. Having high-quality filters applied directly to optical fiber and faces permits production of high-performance, micro-sized devices that incorporate optical filters. Devices in which these filters may be used include spectroscopic applications including those using fiber optic probes, wavelength division multiplexing, telecommunications, general fiber optic sensor usage, photonic computing, photonic amplifiers, pump blocking and a variety of laser devices.

Devices and methods for utilizing electromagnetic radiation and other forms of energy to treat a volume of tissue at depth are described. In one aspect, a device modulates the flux incident on surface tissue to control and vary the depth in the tissue at which an effective dose of radiant energy is delivered and, thereby, treat a specific volume of tissue. The methods and devices disclosed are used to perform various treatments, including treatments to relieve pain and promote healing of tissue.

A universal closed-loop functional electrical stimulation system comprising at least one electrode assembly adapted to deliver an electrical stimulation signal to the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, or muscles of a user, a sensor system adapted to detect a mechanical response to a muscle stimulation signal of at least one muscle associated with a muscle group stimulated through the nervous system or proximate to the electrode assembly. An electrical stimulation device operably coupled to at least one electrode assembly and the sensor system, the electrical stimulation device including a control system to automatically receive feedback from at least one characteristic of the muscle from the detected muscle response and adjust at least one parameter of the muscle stimulation signal in real-time and in response thereto and a programmed microprocessor for controlling said electrical stimulation and receiving input from said sensor system.

A sensor for capturing images of skin topology is provided having a platen, and a one or two-dimensional array of light sensing pixel elements for receiving light representative of skin topology when skin, such as finger(s), are present upon the platen. Such sensor being improved by structures, layers, or methods for reducing or blocking ambient light which would hinder the light sensing pixel elements from sensing the light representative of skin topology. The sensors are non-imaging contact sensors as they have platen to contact skin to be imaged, and do not require optics, such as lenses for focusing and / or magnification, to enable proper capture of light representative of skin topology on the sensor's light sensing pixel elements.

An enclosure apparatus provides for combined air and liquid cooling of rack mounted stacked electronic components. A heat exchanger is mounted on the side of the stacked electronics and air flows side to side within the enclosure, impelled by air-moving devices mounted behind the electronics. Auxiliary air-moving devices may be mounted within the enclosure to increase the air flow. In an alternative embodiment, air-to-liquid heat exchangers are provided across the front and back of the enclosure, and a closed air flow loop is created by a converging supply plenum, electronics drawers through which air is directed by air-moving devices, diverging return plenum, and a connecting duct in the bottom. In a variant of this embodiment, connecting ducts are in both top and bottom, and supply and return ducts are doubly convergent and doubly divergent, respectively. Auxiliary blowers may be added to increase total system air flow. The enclosure also may be provided with automatically opening vent panels to allow room air to circulate and cool in the event of an over-temperature condition. The design of the enclosure permits it to be constructed apart from the rack-mounted apparatus and subsequently attached to the rack, if desired, at the facility at which the rack had been previously operating.

The present invention relates to moving microorganisms to a surface, where they are grown in the presence and absence of antimicrobials, and by monitoring the growth of the microorganisms over time in the two conditions, their susceptibility to the antimicrobials can be determined. The microorganisms can be moved to the surface through electrophoresis, centrifugation or filtration. When the movement involves electrophoresis, the presence of oxidizing and reducing reagents lowers the voltage at which electrophoretic force can be generated and allows a broader range of means by which the target can be detected. Monitoring can comprise optical detection, and most conveniently includes the detection of individual microorganisms. The microorganisms can be stained in order to give information about their response to antimicrobials.