Abstract: A double-acting cylinder and piston mechanism comprising a cylinder (1) substantially closed at both ends by front (5) and rear (7) end walls, a piston (8) axially displaceable within the cylinder (1), a first region (6) defined between the piston (8) and the rear end wall (7) of the cylinder (1) and a second region (4) defined between the piston (8) and the front end wall (5) of the cylinder (1), a piston rod (2) extending from the piston (8) through the front end wall (5) of the cylinder (1), an air inlet port (19) for communication with said first region (6) of the cylinder (1) and at least one exhaust vent (14) which is exposed during axial displacement of the piston (8) for release of air delivered to the cylinder (1) through the air inlet port (19).

Abstract: An optical sensor device that can be used as a rain sensor has a light emitter, a light receiver, and an optical plate with rotationally symmetrically shaped Fresnel prism structures, which is coupled to a pane, in particular a windshield of a vehicle, by means of a coupling layer. On its opposite side, the optical plate takes up light from the light emitter. The light is coupled into the pane and, after a total reflection on an internal surface of the pane, is directed onto the light receiver.

Abstract: A positioning device has a deformable load-bearing element (10), a shaped part (12) coupled to the load-bearing element (10), and a holder (24). The load-bearing element (10) is adapted to be shifted from a first position in which the shaped part (12) is held in a first shape by the holder (24), into a second position in which the shaped part (12) is at least partially no longer held by the holder (24) and takes a second shape which is transmitted to the load-bearing element (10).

Abstract: A method of modulating angiogenesis in a tissue comprises administering to the tissue a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that modulates complex formation of ?v?3 integrin and VEGFR2.

Abstract: A control system for an electrical device includes a controller that outputs an AC device enable system when one or more monitored sensors are in a proper state for operation of the electrical device. The control system may also include a sensor signal integrity checking circuit that outputs a validation signal when the sensor is one of a discrete set of acceptable sensor states. The control system may also include a current monitor that monitors the current draw of the electrical device and compares the current draw to a range of acceptable current draw levels and durations and disables operation of the electrical device when the current draw falls outside of the range.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in retaining vertebrae of a spinal column in a desired spatial relationship includes a rod which extends along the spinal column and is received in a housing. A connector extends from the housing and engages a vertebra. The connector is movable relative to the housing. An adjusting member is rotatable relative to the housing to move the connector relative to the housing. The adjusting member is accessible from an upper side of the housing.

Abstract: A power operated knife comprises a blade supporting structure supporting an annular blade for rotation about a central axis. The blade and blade supporting structure are engagable along bearing contact locations that are spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axis so that the blade is stabilized both radially and axially as the knife operates. The blade supporting structure comprises a split blade housing member that is radially expandible and contractible to receive the blade. The split blade housing member and blade engage along relatively short lines of bearing contact that serve to minimize friction and blade heating when the knife operates. The bearing locations are spaced apart both circumferentially around the blade perimeter and in the direction of the axis so that the blade position is stabilized during operation of the knife.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated stem cells of non-embryonic origin that can be maintained in culture in the undifferentiated state or differentiated to form cells of multiple tissue types. Also provided are methods of isolation and culture, as well as therapeutic uses for the isolated cells in cardiac indications.

Abstract: A method of locating a terrestrial emitter of electromagnetic radiation in the midst of a plurality of emitters in a satellite in orbit about the earth which utilizes a location estimation and location probability determination process with respect to each possible emitter site and its corresponding error region and then using both feedback and feed forward interaction between location and phase ambiguity resolution processes to generate resolved phase from emitter location, update emitter location or some or all of the emitters, and subsequently utilizing the probabilities thus determined to produce a single estimate of the desired emitter's location.

Abstract: A method of producing an animal feed that is free from transmittable degenerative encephalopathies is provided. Central to the method is alkali treatment of animal material at a pH of at least 8.5 under temperature conditions below 100 C at atmospheric pressure. This method provides a decontaminated animal feed produced under relatively low temperature and pressure conditions that are achievable in standard animal carcass rendering facilities.

Abstract: A system for imaging an abnormal cell and or diseased tissue after topical application of a near infrared protease-specific probe is disclosed. The system includes a protease-specific near infrared (NIRF) imaging probe, means for topically administering the protease-specific probe to a diseased tissue and an imaging device capable of detecting the interaction between the protease-specific NIRF imaging probe and the diseased tissue. A method and surgical procedure are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of detecting ?-defensin in a bodily sample from a subject includes reducing the electrostatic interaction between ?-defensin and negatively charged moieties in the bodily sample prior to detecting the ?-defensin with an antibody or epitope binding fragment thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining unknown unknowns for at least one assisted decision making system. An assisted decision making system has an associated set of at least one story of interest. The system further comprises a plurality of inferencing algorithms. A given inferencing algorithm is operative to generate story fragments from data stored within an associated knowledge base. A first arbitrator is associated with the first assisted decision making system. The arbitrator accepts a story fragment from the plurality of inferencing algorithms if the story fragment is sufficiently related to a story of interest from the set of at least one story of interest.

Abstract: A system controls a team of vehicles. The system includes a plan dependency identifier, a contingency monitor, and an alert formulator. The plan dependency identifier analyzes a mission plan and identifies mission constraints of the mission plan. The contingency monitor continuously reviews execution of the mission plan for violations of the mission constraints. The alert formulator determines whether a part of the mission plan is threatened by a violation of one of the mission constraints.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating images for identifying diseases are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a first digital radiography (DR) image of at least a portion of a body of a patient, receiving a second DR image of the at least a portion of a body of a patient, the first DR image being captured at a different energy level than the second DR image, and determining common control point locations for both the first and second DR images. The method further comprises generating an optimized DR image by moving portions of a selected one of the first and second DR images with its associated control points to locations that correspond to similar portions of the other of the first and second DR images, applying deformable transformation to one of the first and second DR images and performing a log subtraction on the first and second DR image to generate a dual-energy digital radiography (DEDR) image.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for use in turning steerable wheels of a vehicle (12) upon manual rotation of a steering wheel (14) comprises a front steering motor (36) coupled to a front steerable wheel (18) of the vehicle (12) for turning the front steerable wheel. A rear steering motor (66) is coupled to a rear steerable wheel (22) of the vehicle (12) for turning the rear steerable wheel. A position sensor (34) senses a rotational position of the steering wheel (14) and provides an output indicative of said rotational position. A controller (90) receives the output of the position sensor (34) and controls the front and rear steering motors (36, 66) to turn the front steerable wheel (22) in response to the output from the position sensor (34) indicating rotation of the steering wheel (14) in a first portion of a range of rotation of the steering wheel.

Abstract: An EDM wire having an outer coating of gamma phase brass with an overlayer of continuous unalloyed zinc or ductile epsilon phase brass entrapping the gamma phase and a process for manufacturing the EDM wire is provided. A second process for synthesizing a ductile epsilon phase brass coating on the aforementioned and other substrates is also provided. The first process includes coating a copper bearing metallic core with zinc. The zinc coating is then converted to gamma phase brass via a diffusion anneal and subsequently re-coated with zinc prior to being cold drawn to its finish diameter.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented media inventory service that includes instructions for performing a method. The method can include selectively extracting inventory data from at least one media management system based on an agency identifier that defines a subset of the inventory data in the at least one media management system made available for a given agency. Agency inventory data is provided based on the extracted inventory data for use by the given agency, the agency inventory data enumerating at least one inventory spot available for the given agency. At least one request from the given agency is received for the at least one inventory spot a portion of the inventory data in the at least one media management system is caused to be modified according to the at least one request.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing image analysis. A computer-implemented method for analyzing images may include quantitatively analyzing image data to identify image objects relative to a background portion of the image according to predefined object criteria, the image data including a plurality of image objects that represent objects in a sample distributed across a substrate. The identified image objects are further clustered into groups or colonies of the identified image objects according to predetermined clustering criteria.