Abstract: An instrument including a first arm, a second arm, and a blade. The first arm includes a lumen in communication with a source of irrigation fluid and one or more outlets in communication with the lumen for delivering the irrigation fluid to a surgical site. The instrument is switchable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the instrument is configured to deliver a first therapy current through a distal end of the first arm, a distal end of the second arm, or both. In the second configuration, a distal end of the blade extends beyond the distal end of the first arm and beyond the distal end of the second arm.

Abstract: A system that coordinates pickups of entities to be picked up includes a number of monitor devices, a number of authorized pickup entity devices, at least one communications network, at least one time to arrival estimation server, at least one coordination server, and at least one administration server. Each of the time to arrival estimation server, coordination server, and administration server may have respective databases stored on respective nontransitory computer- or processor-readable media. The coordination server permits interaction between the monitor devices and authorized pickup entity devices while maintaining privacy of entities logically associated with such devices and while addressing a plurality of technical problems that one of ordinary skill in the art may face when implementing the system that coordinates pickups.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system allows a remote computer user to listen to teams in a race event. The method includes receiving audio signals from a plurality of audio sources at the race event; transmitting at least some of the audio signals to a remote computer; and filtering the audio signals as a function of the source of at least some of the audio signals so that at least some of the audio signals are not played by the remote computer and heard by the user.

Abstract: The inventive system uses a trust network rating system to target advertisements thereby increasing the effectiveness as well as the palatability of the advertisement. A user of an online system sets up a trust network by indicating criteria whereby the user trusts other users. Ratings made by the other users of goods or services are evaluated according to the particular trust network the user has set up. The user receives advertisements only from those vendors who have met thresholds based on the evaluated ratings. This ensures that the user receives only pertinent and interesting advertisements so that the user is more likely to respond positively to the advertisements.

Abstract: An improved rating system allows users to give anonymous ratings of any item such as devices, compositions and services including personal services (i.e., individuals). The system is based on degrees of behavioral similarity between raters. The highest degree of behavioral similarity is established between raters who have rated the same item identically or similarly. The system allows a user to view ratings or anonymous raters who have a high degree of behavioral similarity to the user. The system allows users to control the various ‘degrees’ or levels of behavioral linkage to gather meaningful data in a way that greatly extends the potential usefulness and applicability of the rating filtering system while preserving the anonymity of raters and their individual ratings.

Abstract: A trust-based communication and information filtering system having rating features is user customizable. It is a system in which the raters remain anonymous. The anonymous ratings mimic real life person-to-person recommendation methods wherein recommendations are personal and cannot be controlled by persons or items being rated. The system uses contextually meaningful rating which are filtered explicitly by the end-user or implicitly based upon the environment of the end-user to facilitate discovery and minimize the potential for fraud and deception. Trust networks are constructed between the participants and the rating or information filtered or weighted according to the user's relative trust of the raters in the system. Ratings made by the inventive system can be for goods, services, people, businesses or virtually any item that can be rated and/or recommended.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system allows a remote computer user to listen to teams in a race event. The method includes receiving audio signals from a plurality of audio sources at the race event; transmitting at least some of the audio signals to a remote computer; and filtering the audio signals as a function of the source of at least some of the audio signals so that at least some of the audio signals are not played by the remote computer and heard by the user.

Abstract: The production rate, useful life and operating efficiency of electric submergible pumping systems (ESP) is improved by operating the system so that the motor (220, 320) is cooled by two passes of production. Production fluids remove waste heat from the motor (220, 320) by passing the fluid in contact with the exterior of the motor (220, 320). The improved cooling permits the motor to be operated at a lower temperature improving life and efficiency, and/or to be operated at higher power at a similar temperature. Additionally, oversized and excess equipment is not required, further improving performance and economics for the user. In another aspect, the invention is a method of pumping fluids using a motor having vortex generators (366) on its exterior surfaces or on the interior surfaces of a surrounding shroud.