Abstract: Described is a human-ear-wearable apparatus having a housing, which contains electronic and auditory components for conveying sound into a human hear. An inflatable mounting system is configured to secure the housing to the human ear. The mounting system includes an elastomeric bladder configured to inflate into a customizable counterpart shape of portions of the user's Concha and Meatus areas of a particular user's ear. A pump, coupled to the housing, is configured to pass air through an opening in the housing to the elastomeric bladder. Inflation of the bladder, via the pump, is controllable by a user to form a customized fit of the mounting system's bladder to the Concha and Meatus areas of the user's ear. One or more speakers may be encased in the elastomeric bladder. For example, a dual-hybrid speaker arrangement is described with a cone speaker and a balanced-armature driver embedded in the bladder.

Abstract: Very strong, complex, unforgettable passwords unique to each web site are created for a user's Web site authentication by altering all or part of the web site address using, in a preferred embodiment, a predetermined encoding dictionary with more a single code for each entry. The entries in this preferred embodiment are single characters including characters used for words, punctuation, symbols and numerals; each single entry character appears more than once in the dictionary. The codes are of various character lengths and can be comprised of the same characters used in the entries. In an embodiment for pass-protecting files, the string of characters altered by encoding can be a private word or group of words. In another embodiment the password created by encoding is pseudo-randomly scrambled by using a seed unique to the user in order to create the password actually used.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting a physician determine an optimal treatment modality for performing lung volume reduction on a patient. Optimal treatment modalities are determined based on physician preferences relating to the disease attributes and diagnostic patient information.

Abstract: A whole plant gas exchange apparatus employs a chamber having a first region for accommodating a growth medium and a root system of a whole plant, and a second region accommodating a canopy of the plant. The regions are separated by a barrier, except for an opening through which the stem of the plant is accommodated. An air source supplies incoming air to the second region through an intake. An air outlet conveys outgoing air from the second region to a gas sensor for analysis of the outgoing air after photosynthetic interaction with the plant canopy. A vent communicates the first region of the chamber to an ambient environment outside the chamber. A resulting pressurized state of the second region is used to exhaust air from the first region through the vent in order to isolate this exhausted air from the analyzed canopy air.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of (vector) vaccines, and especially to novel promoter sequences, expression cassettes and vectors, which are suitable to express genes of interest, especially antigen encoding sequences. The viral vectors of the present invention are useful for producing an immunogenic composition or vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of CAdV vector vaccines, and especially to promoters suitable to express target antigens from such vector vaccines. Disclosed and claimed are recombinant canine adenoviruses, methods of making them, uses for them (including in immunological, immunogenic, vaccine or therapeutic compositions, or, as a vector for cloning, replicating or expressing DNA and methods of using the compositions and vector), expression products from them, and uses for the expression products. Additionally, disclosed and claimed are truncated EHV4 promoters, expression cassettes containing the promoters, and recombinant viruses and plasmids containing the promoters or expression cassettes.

Abstract: A container, e.g., a carry-case, includes: a body having an internal cavity for storing contents, the body including at least one access side of the body having at least one opening sufficient in size to accommodate movement of the contents through the opening(s); and at least one lid configured to releasably close the at least one opening, respectively. The body further includes: first and second stacking sides in which are formed complimentarily-shaped surface feature(s) and surface feature(s), respectively, configured to be releasably engageable with the corresponding surface feature(s) formed in second and first stacking sides, respectively, of other instances of the container. And each access side and corresponding lid are configured to permit access through the corresponding opening while one or more of the first and second stacking sides are disposed in states of releasable engagement, respectively.

Abstract: Described is a human-ear-wearable apparatus having a housing, which contains electronic and auditory components for conveying sound into a human hear. An inflatable mounting system is configured to secure the housing to the human ear. The mounting system includes an elastomeric bladder configured to inflate into a customizable counterpart shape of portions of the user's Concha and Meatus areas of a particular user's ear. A pump, coupled to the housing, is configured to pass air through an opening in the housing to the elastomeric bladder. Inflation of the bladder, via the pump, is controllable by a user to form a customized fit of the mounting system's bladder to the Concha and Meatus areas of the user's ear. One or more speakers may be encased in the elastomeric bladder. For example, a dual-hybrid speaker arrangement is described with a cone speaker and a balanced-armature driver embedded in the bladder.

Abstract: Described is a human-ear-wearable apparatus having a housing, which contains electronic and auditory components for conveying sound into a human hear. An inflatable mounting system is configured to secure the housing to the human ear. The mounting system includes an elastomeric bladder configured to inflate into a customizable counterpart shape of portions of the user's Concha and Meatus areas of a particular user's ear. A pump, coupled to the housing, is configured to pass air through an opening in the housing to the elastomeric bladder. Inflation of the bladder, via the pump, is controllable by a user to form a customized fit of the mounting system's bladder to the Concha and Meatus areas of the user's ear. One or more speakers may be encased in the elastomeric bladder. For example, a dual-hybrid speaker arrangement is described with a cone speaker and a balanced-armature driver embedded in the bladder.

Abstract: A container, e.g., a carry-case, includes: a body having an internal cavity for storing contents, the body including at least one access side of the body having at least one opening sufficient in size to accommodate movement of the contents through the opening(s); and at least one lid configured to releasably close the at least one opening, respectively. The body further includes: first and second stacking sides in which are formed complementarily-shaped surface feature(s) and surface feature(s), respectively, configured to be releasably engageable with the corresponding surface feature(s) formed in second and first stacking sides, respectively, of other instances of the container. And each access side and corresponding lid are configured to permit access through the corresponding opening while one or more of the first and second stacking sides are disposed in states of releasable engagement, respectively.

Abstract: Very strong, complex, unforgettable passwords unique to each web site are created for a user's Web site authentication by altering all or part of the web site address using, in a preferred embodiment, a predetermined encoding dictionary with more a single code for each entry and unique to each user. The entries in this preferred embodiment are single characters including characters used for words, punctuation, symbols and numerals; each single entry character appears more than once in the dictionary. The codes are of various character lengths and can be comprised of the same characters used in the entries. In a Web site authentication embodiment as well as for embodiments not used for Web site authentication, including pass-protecting files, the string of characters altered by encoding can be a private word or group of words. In another embodiment the password created by encoding is pseudo-randomly scrambled by using a seed unique to the user in order to create the password actually used.

Abstract: A container, e.g., a carry-case, includes: a body having an internal cavity for storing contents, the body including at least one access side of the body having at least one opening sufficient in size to accommodate movement of the contents through the opening(s); and at least one lid configured to releasably close the at least one opening, respectively. The body further includes: first and second stacking sides in which are formed complementarily-shaped surface feature(s) and surface feature(s), respectively, configured to be releasably engageable with the corresponding surface feature(s) formed in second and first stacking sides, respectively, of other instances of the container. And each access side and corresponding lid are configured to permit access through the corresponding opening while one or more of the first and second stacking sides are disposed in states of releasable engagement, respectively.

Abstract: Methods, storage controllers, and systems for non-volatile storage element programming are described. One method includes programming user data in pages associated with a set of wordlines of an erase block of a non-volatile, solid-state storage element. The method further includes selecting at least one of the wordlines of the set programmed with the user data and restricting further programming of user data in the pages associated with the selected wordline. In some embodiments, the selected wordline occurs subsequent to the pages associated with the other wordlines of the set in a page programming order for the erase block.

Abstract: Devices and systems are described for treating intraluminal locations such as in a patient's lung. The device has an elongated shaft with an inner lumen, preferably defined by an inner tubular member, formed of heat resistant polymeric materials such as polyimide. The device also has an outer surface formed of heat resistant material. High temperature vapor is directed through the inner lumen into the intraluminal location to treat tissue at and distal to the location. An enlarged or enlargeable member, such as a balloon, is provided on a distal portion of the shaft to prevent proximal flow of the high temperature vapor upon discharge from the device.

Abstract: A viscoelastic ink for direct writing of hydrogel structures includes a long chain polymer and a photopolymerizable moiety, which may be a photopolymerizable monomer or a photopolymerizable group attached to the long chain polymer. The ink may also include a crosslinking agent, a photoinitiator, and water. The long chain polymer is present at a concentration greater than a critical overlap concentration c* of the long chain polymer in the ink.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for testing physical regions in a solid-state storage device. The method includes defining a physical storage region on solid-state storage media of a solid-state storage device. The physical storage region includes a subset of storage capacity of the solid-state storage media. The method includes implementing the physical storage region definition on a storage controller such that memory operations are bounded to the physical storage region. The method includes testing wear of solid-state storage media associated with the physical storage region using memory operations bounded to the physical storage region.

Abstract: Methods are describe for treating intraluminal locations such as in a patient's lung. The device is a catheter which has an elongated shaft with an inner lumen, preferably defined by an inner tubular member, formed of heat resistant polymeric materials such as polyimide and high temperature vapor is directed through the inner lumen into the intraluminal location to treat tissue at and/or distal to the location. The outer surface of the catheter is also formed of heat resistant material. An enlarged or enlargeable member, such as a balloon, is provided on a distal portion of the catheter shaft to prevent proximal flow of the high temperature vapor upon discharge from the catheter.

Abstract: A viscoelastic ink for direct writing of hydrogel structures includes a long chain polymer and a photopolymerizable moiety, which may be a photopolymerizable monomer or a photopolymerizable group attached to the long chain polymer. The ink may also include a crosslinking agent, a photoinitiator, and water. The long chain polymer is present at a concentration greater than a critical overlap concentration c* of the long chain polymer in the ink.

Abstract: One embodiment of a pet toy having a control module, active triggering module, and passive triggering module. Our device is an interface between a pet and pet toy or other useful device. A pet can trigger at will a moving highly collimated light dot for exercise, entertainment, mental stimulation, education, and even surrogate companionship in the absence of a human caretaker. Pets that fail to learn triggering behavior will benefit from pre-set play periods as programmed or selected by their caretaker and/or passive activation such as infrared detection or another proximity sensing switch.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing physical regions in a solid-state storage device. The definition module defines a physical storage region on solid-state storage media of a solid-state storage device. The physical storage region includes a subset of total physical storage capacity on the solid-state storage media. The storage controller performs memory operations within the physical storage region such that the memory operations are bounded to the physical storage region. The implementation module implements the physical storage region definition with respect to the storage controller for the solid-state storage media.