Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a metered amount of liquid into a porous plug includes a casing which has an inlet passage adapted to receive a manually insertable porous plug. A reservoir disposed in the cavity contains the liquid. The reservoir has an outlet which is communicable with the inlet passage. A discharge mechanism disposed in the casing is actuable in response to the insertion of a porous plug into the inlet passage for producing a pressurized air flow which bears against a piston in the reservoir for discharging a metered amount of the liquid from the reservoir into the porous plug. The plug could constitute a filter attached to a tobacco column.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a metered amount of liquid into a porous plug includes a casing which has an inlet passage adapted to receive a manually insertable porous plug. A reservoir disposed in the cavity contains the liquid. The reservoir has an outlet which is communicable with the inlet passage. A discharge mechanism disposed in the casing is actuable in response to the insertion of a porous plug into the inlet passage for producing a pressurized air flow which bears against a piston in the reservoir for discharging a metered amount of the liquid from the reservoir into the porous plug. The plug could constitute a filter attached to a tobacco column.

Abstract: Provided is a tobacco-free oral flavor delivery pouch product that provides and engaging and flavorful experience to a user. The pouch product includes a porous pouch wrapper and an inner filling material. The inner filling material can include a non-tobacco, botanical component, at least one functional ingredient and a solid flavor component dispersed throughout the inner filling material. The pouch product delivers multiple textures to the user's mouth.

Abstract: A portioned moist tobacco product with a super-hydrated membrane coating and method of manufacturing is disclosed. The super-hydrated membrane coating is formed by ionic cross-linking using two polymers. The soluble component of the super-hydrated membrane coating dissolves upon placement in the mouth, while the insoluble component maintains the tobacco within the coating for the duration of the use of the product. The moist tobacco product is soft and flexible so as to fit comfortably in an oral cavity when placed therein.

Abstract: A flavor pouch includes a porous covering that encloses a carrier having a flavorant. The carrier may be solid or particulate. Flavorants may be one or more of tea, coffee, rose hips, honey, royal jelly, fruit extracts, mint, sweeteners, ginger, pepper extract, exotic flavors, ethnic flavors and the like. Where the carrier comprises a plurality of beads, the beads may have randomly dissolvable encapsulation to extend the time duration of flavor release. To use the flavor pouch, it is placed in the mouth and masticated or exposed to saliva to thereby release the flavorant.

Abstract: A method using statistical parameters (e.g. mean, standard deviation, exceptional values) of performance monitoring metrics to substantially reduce the quantity of performance monitoring data collected and reported, make system performance monitoring scalable and enhance the readability of the system performance display. The number of metrics monitored may be reduced by monitoring only one of any two metrics that are closely correlated.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic workload characterization are provided. Transactions performed in a computer system may be logged. The log of transactions comprises a timestamp for each transaction. Resource usage in the computer system may be logged. The log of resource usage comprises one or more periods of time during which each of a plurality of resources is used, and the log of resource usage comprises a plurality of system performance metrics which reflect resource consumption by one or more processes that performed the transactions. The timestamps in the log of transactions may be compared to the periods of time in the log of resource usage. It may be determined which transactions used which resources as a result of the comparing the timestamps in the log of transactions to the periods of time in the log of resource usage. One or more workloads may be determined using the determining which transactions used which resources. Heuristics may be used to group processes into workloads.

Abstract: Systems and methods for vibrating coiled tubing as it is moved in an earth wellbore.

Abstract: A packaging configuration is provided for a computer system that is adapted for operating multiple operating systems in different partitions of the computer system. The packaging configuration includes a main chassis having a main circuit board. The packaging configuration also includes a processor assembly configured for insertion into the main chassis. The processor assembly has a circuit board for connection to the main circuit board upon insertion of the processor assembly. The packaging configuration also includes a processor subassembly configured for insertion into the processor assembly. The processor subassembly includes a circuit board and a processor and is configured for connection with a circuit board in the processor assembly upon insertion of the processor subassembly. The processor assembly is removable from the main chassis without powering down the computer system, and the processor subassembly is removable from the processor assembly without powering down the computer system.

Abstract: A system for measuring parameters of a structure, the system in certain aspects having a plurality of strain gauges emplaceable on the structure, signal transmission apparatus associated with the plurality of strain gauges for transmitting signals therefrom indicative of gauge measurements to computer apparatus for processing the signals, the gauges, in one aspect, including at least three strain gauge apparatuses for providing axial strain measurements, and computer apparatus for receiving signals from the transmitting apparatus indicative of the measurements and for determining bending moment and bending direction of the structure at a location of the gauge apparatuses, and in one aspect wherein the computer apparatus is programmed to calculate internal pressure and/or bending direction of the structure based on the measurements, and in one aspect to do so in real time.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of achieving fast onset of pain relief for acute pain in a patient in need thereof comprising orally administering a unitary formulation (or oral dosage form) containing an effective analgesic amount of (a) oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) ibuprofen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Preferably, the unitary formulation contains (a) oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) ibuprofen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof at a weight ratio of from about 1:20 to about 1:100 and more preferably about 1:40 to about 1:80, based on the weights of molar equivalents of oxycodone hydrochloride and ibuprofen, respectively. Preferably, an amount of oxycodone and ibuprofen effective to provide partial or complete pain relief within 30 minutes is administered. More preferably, the amount is sufficient to provide partial or complete pain relief within 25 minutes.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of achieving fast onset of pain relief for acute pain in a patient in need thereof comprising orally administering a unitary formulation (or oral dosage form) containing an effective analgesic amount of (a) oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) ibuprofen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Preferably, the unitary formulation contains (a) oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) ibuprofen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof at a weight ratio of from about 1:20 to about 1:100 and more preferably about 1:40 to about 1:80, based on the weights of molar equivalents of oxycodone hydrochloride and ibuprofen, respectively. Preferably, an amount of oxycodone and ibuprofen effective to provide partial or complete pain relief within 30 minutes is administered. More preferably, the amount is sufficient to provide partial or complete pain relief within 25 minutes.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of achieving fast onset of pain relief for acute pain in a patient in need thereof comprising orally administering a unitary formulation (or oral dosage form) containing an effective analgesic amount of (a) oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) ibuprofen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Preferably, the unitary formulation contains (a) oxycodone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) ibuprofen or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof at a weight ratio of from about 1:20 to about 1:100 and more preferably about 1:40 to about 1:80, based on the weights of molar equivalents of oxycodone hydrochloride and ibuprofen, respectively. Preferably, an amount of oxycodone and ibuprofen effective to provide partial or complete pain relief within 30 minutes is administered. More preferably, the amount is sufficient to provide partial or complete pain relief within 25 minutes.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating statistics concerning system metrics to provide for the accurate and efficient monitoring of one or more computer systems. The system preferably comprises a distributed computing environment, i.e., an enterprise, which comprises a plurality of interconnected computer systems. At least one of the computer systems is an agent computer system which includes agent software and/or system software for the collection of data relating to one or more metrics, i.e., measurements of system resources. Metric data is continually collected over the course of a measurement interval, regularly placed into a registry of metrics, and then periodically sampled from the registry indirectly. Sampling-related uncertainty and inaccuracy arise from two primary sources: the unsampled residual segments of seen (i.e., sampled and therefore known) events, and unseen (i.e., unsampled and therefore unknown) events.

Abstract: A packaging configuration is provided for a computer system that is adapted for operating multiple operating systems in different partitions of the computer system. The packaging configuration includes a main chassis having a main circuit board. The packaging configuration also includes a processor assembly configured for insertion into the main chassis. The processor assembly has a circuit board for connection to the main circuit board upon insertion of the processor assembly. The packaging configuration also includes a processor subassembly configured for insertion into the processor assembly. The processor subassembly includes a circuit board and a processor and is configured for connection with a circuit board in the processor assembly upon insertion of the processor subassembly. The processor assembly is removable from the main chassis without powering down the computer system, and the processor subassembly is removable from the processor assembly without powering down the computer system.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic workload characterization are provided. Transactions performed in a computer system may be logged. The log of transactions comprises a timestamp for each transaction. Resource usage in the computer system may be logged. The log of resource usage comprises one or more periods of time during which each of a plurality of resources is used, and the log of resource usage comprises a plurality of system performance metrics which reflect resource consumption by one or more processes that performed the transactions. The timestamps in the log of transactions may be compared to the periods of time in the log of resource usage. It may be determined which transactions used which resources as a result of the comparing the timestamps in the log of transactions to the periods of time in the log of resource usage. One or more workloads may be determined using the determining which transactions used which resources. Heuristics may be used to group processes into workloads.

Abstract: A packaging configuration is provided for a computer system that is adapted for operating multiple operating systems in different partitions of the computer system. The packaging configuration includes a main chassis having a main circuit board. The packaging configuration also includes a processor assembly configured for insertion into the main chassis. The processor assembly has a circuit board for connection to the main circuit board upon insertion of the processor assembly. The packaging configuration also includes a processor subassembly configured for insertion into the processor assembly. The processor subassembly includes a circuit board and a processor and is configured for connection with a circuit board in the processor assembly upon insertion of the processor subassembly. The processor assembly is removable from the main chassis without powering down the computer system, and the processor subassembly is removable from the processor assembly without powering down the computer system.

Abstract: A novel method of and system and procedures for more accurately measuring the resource usage of UNIX processes by sampling methods involving appropriate corrections for the resource usage of the terminated processes and analyzing UNIX process data along with subsystem data such as RDBMSs, allowing system administrators and mangers to get a much better picture of who is using the resources on the system and thus perform a better job at performance analysis and capacity planning, the technique also enabling and reducing the error in the process measurements collected by sampling of the resources usage measured by the operating system and correlating the measurements taken by subsystems with the measurements taken by the operating system.