Award Data

We will develop porous silicon based detector chips for the identification of biomoleculefragments. Patches of porous silicon on a silicon wafer act as active sieves, loaded with taggingmolecules, where during passage through it biomolecule fragments are identified by their response afterattachment of a tag to a modulated electric field applied across the porous patch. This technique, ifsuccessful ...

Nucleic acid hybridization reactions are at the heart of a number of powerful assays used in molecular biology research and increasingly in diagnostic applications. Hybridization reactions typically require long incubation times, i. e. overnight. Recent work has demonstrated that a ribonucleoprotein and certain cationic detergents can increase hybridization rates several thousand fold such that th ...

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The project will design personal computer software that is usable to nursing facility managers and others, such as health care professionals, consumer advocates, and placement specialists. It will make quality of care information available and analyze service pattern and staffing.

Accurate measurement of gastrointestinal absorption of various substances is important in bothresearch and diagnosis. In many cases, the acceptable general approach is the balance procedure. Thisprocedure suffers from the requirement for complete collection of stools over an extended period oftime. This limitation prevents widespread use of this otherwise desirable approach. The investigatorspropo ...

Instrumentation that can provide microstructural characterization of medical grade polymers,fabrics, and composite materials is the proposed research's long term goal. One micron resolutionvolume computed tomography of test specimens can now be demonstrated by combining anNIST-developed x-ray microscope with BIR's volume CT capability. Micro VCT will be a valuable toolin the development of new med ...

We will adapt a non-cryogenic magnetic field sensor previously developed for defense purposesand apply it to magnetocardiography (MCG), the measurement of magnetic fields induced by electricalcurrents in the heart. As a single non-invasive sensor, this unit would have similar applications to theelectrocardiograph. When these units are assembled into a spatial array, the magnetic field can bemeasur ...

WE ARE DEVELOPING A COLD STERILIZATION TECHNOLOGY THAT IS RAPIDLY BIOCIDAL AGAINST FUNGI, VIRUSES, BACTERIA AND BACTERIAL SPORES, BUT IS NEITHER TOXIC NOR MUTAGENIC TO HIGHER ORGANISMS.THE BIOCIDAL ACTIVITY REMAINS POTENT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, IS NON-CORROSIVE TO 200 AND 400 GRADE STAINLESS STEEL INSTRUMENTS, DOES NOT STAIN OR SMELL, AND CAN BE PRODUCED FOR LESS THAN 1/50TH THE COST OF PRESENT ...

We will develop and test a locating device worn on a person's body that can be used to locatepatients with dementia who have wandered away. Current technology used to protect wanderingpatients focuses on alerting caregivers to patient exits, but does not assist in locating patients once theyhave departed. Phase I will assess caregiver interest in this type of locating device, develop and test ahou ...

Formaldehyde is a common disinfecting agent in dialyzer membrane reuse procedures. Since formaldehyde is carcinogenic, toxic and malodorous, any safe, cost-effective alternative would be a marketable an medical success. The long-term objective is to benefit patient care, employee safety, and cost effectiveness by establishing an economically competitive, non-toxic, market alternative to formaldehy ...