Abstract: Methods of treating subterranean formations using foamed treatment fluids comprising water, a gas, and a foaming and foam stabilizing surfactant mixture comprising a plurality of alkali salts of alkyl ether sulfates wherein the alkyl group in each of the alkyl ether sulfates has in the range of from 4 carbon atoms to 10 carbon atoms, an alkyl amidopropyl hydroxysultaine or an alkyl amidopropyl betaine, and an alkyl amidopropyl dimethylamine oxide.

Abstract: A method of stimulating a production interval adjacent a well bore having a casing disposed therein, that comprises introducing a carrier fluid comprising first particulates into the well bore, packing the first particulates into a plurality of perforations in the casing, perforating at least one remedial perforation in the casing adjacent to the production interval, and stimulating the production interval through the at least one remedial perforation. Also provided are methods of stimulating multiple production intervals adjacent a well bore.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods comprising providing an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising water, an anionic salt, a water-based friction reducing polymer, a polyol, an anionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant; mixing the aqueous polymer dispersion with additional water to form an aqueous treatment fluid; and introducing the aqueous treatment fluid into a subterranean formation. Also disclosed are methods comprising providing an aqueous treatment fluid comprising water, an anionic salt, a water-based friction reducing polymer in an amount sufficient to provide friction reduction without forming a gel, a polyol, an anionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant; and introducing the aqueous treatment fluid into a subterranean formation.

Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation is provided, the method may comprise providing a fluid comprising an aqueous fluid, a gelling agent, and a zirconium triisopropylamine crosslinking agent; and introducing the fluid into a well bore that penetrates the subterranean formation. Also provided are methods of fracturing a subterranean formation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to spacer fluids used in subterranean operations and, more particularly, to spacer fluids that comprise water-soluble relative permeability modifiers and methods of using the spacer fluids in subterranean operations. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of displacing a first fluid from a well bore that comprises introducing the first fluid into the well bore; and displacing the first fluid with a spacer fluid, the spacer fluid comprising water, and a water-soluble relative permeability modifier comprising a hydrophobically modified polymer or a hydrophilically modified polymer. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a spacer fluid that comprises water, and a water-soluble relative permeability modifier comprising a hydrophobically modified polymer or a hydrophilically modified polymer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, provided is a method of fracturing a portion of a subterranean formation that comprises providing a viscosified treatment fluid comprising a single salt aqueous fluid having a density of greater than 9 pounds per gallon and a crosslinked viscosifying agent, and contacting the portion of the subterranean formation with a viscosified treatment fluid so as to create or enhance one or more fractures therein, wherein the viscosified treatment fluid is introduced into a well bore that penetrates the portion of the subterranean formation to be fractured at a surface pressure of less than about 25,000 pounds per square inch. In other embodiments, provided are methods of frac packing a subterranean formation and methods of reducing a surface pressure needed to create one or more fractures in a portion of a subterranean formation.

Abstract: Provided are treatment fluids that comprise an aqueous base fluid, an acid, and a methyl ester sulfonate surfactant, and associated methods of use. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of acidizing a subterranean formation comprising: providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, an acid, and a methyl ester sulfonate surfactant; introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore that penetrates the subterranean formation; and allowing at least a portion of the treatment fluid to react with at least a portion of the subterranean formation so that at least one void is formed in the subterranean formation. In some instances, the treatment fluids exhibit viscoelastic behavior which may be due, at least in part, to the association of at least a portion of the methyl ester sulfonate surfactant into a plurality of micellar structures.

Abstract: An FBGA packaged device including a die adhered to a substrate with a small gap being formed between the die and substrate. An opening is formed through the substrate adjacent the center portion of the die. An encapsulating mold is formed around the die extending into the gap and also filling the channel. At least one barrier is disposed in the gap between the substrate and the die adjacent the channel to control the flow path of the encapsulating material as the mold is formed in the package.

Abstract: A temperature sensing assembly utilizing a multipoint thermocouple. The assembly comprises a vessel, e.g. a chemical reaction pressure vessel, into which a thermocouple is inserted. The thermocouple utilizes an elongated sheath having a plurality of sensors therein. The sensors are arranged to detect temperature at a plurality of unique locations within the vessel.

Abstract: A modular service system is provided for a variety of diagnostic system modalities, manufacturers, and types. The system includes a uniform service platform which incorporates components for interfacing with different system types. The interface components include configuration libraries or files identifying the system type, as well as file names, content, locations, and so forth. One or more connectivity modules are provided for accessing and transferring data files from a modality system. The modular service system may be configured to cooperate with one or more such modality systems in a network arrangement. File translators are provided for converting individual files from modality, type or manufacturer-specific formats to more standard formats needed by the service platform.

Abstract: A distributed multi-user system for real time data access during cardiology procedures. The system includes an interactive computer network which can be used to simultaneously display and manipulate data from a cardiology procedure on a plurality of devices and at a plurality of locations. The study can be displayed and annotated at any of the plurality of locations, which may be local or remote, during the procedure. A catalog, including a list of studies, may be selected by a client workstation. Once a study is selected from the catalog, the client workstation is dynamically directed to the study. The study can be displayed and annotated at any of the plurality of locations, which may be local or remote, during the procedure. Annotations made at one of the plurality of locations will be passed back to the acquisition station and may be accessed by at any of the plurality of locations.

Abstract: An integrated, multi-modality imaging technique is disclosed. The embodiment described combines a split-magnet MRI system with a digital x-ray system. The two systems are employed together to generate images of a subject in accordance with their individual physics and imaging characteristics. The images may be displaced in real time, such as during a surgical intervention. The images may be registered with one another and combined to form a composite image in which tissues or objects difficult to image in one modality are visible. By appropriately selecting the position of an x-ray source and detector, and by programming a desired corresponding slice for MRI imaging, useful combined images may be obtained and displayed.

Abstract: A technique is provided for reducing changes in the amount of a bias voltage that is applied to a device in an integrated circuit due to local changes on a bus providing the reference for the bias voltage signal. Local transients on the reference bus may occur due to the inductance of the integrated circuit packaging. To prevent the local transients from affecting the amount of bias applied to a device, the local bias signal is allowed to move common mode with the local reference signal by isolating the local bias signal from the bias source. The technique also provides for disabling the isolation of the local bias signal from the bias source in response to a control signal.

Abstract: A technique is provided for characterizing and correcting for instabilities or variations in a magnet system of an MRI scanner. The technique makes use of a navigator pulse to read out navigator echo data in the absence of phase encode, or with phase encode effects rewound. The navigator data is used to characterize several potential effects of magnet system instabilities or variations, such as zeroth order phase shifts, first order (linear) phase shifts, bulk position shifts, and amplitude effects. The effects of the instabilities can be used, then, to correct image data acquired during an examination.

Abstract: A container capacitor having a recessed conductive layer. The recessed conductive layer is typically made of polysilicon. The recessed structure reduces the chances of polysilicon “floaters,” which are traces of polysilicon that remain on the surface of the substrate, coupling adjacent capacitors together to create short circuits. The disclosed method of creating such a recessed structure uses successive etches. One of these etches selectively isolates a rim of the polysilicon within the container to recess the rim, while the remainder of the polysilicon in the container is protected by photoresist.

Abstract: A portable computer docking station housing is provided on its bottom side with a support foot structure which is pivotable relative to the housing to prop it up on a horizontal work station surface in a selectively variable one of a series of different front-to-rear tilt angles thereon. This permits the opened display screen of a docked portable computer disposed on the top side of the docking station housing to be selectively adjusted upwardly and downwardly in a vertical plane to accommodate the height and viewing preferences of a user of the docked computer. A specially designed spring-loaded, manually operable clutch mechanism is useable to releasably lock the support foot in its selected pivotal orientation relative to the housing. Various peripheral device connection ports are conveniently incorporated in the support foot.

Abstract: A connector system for protecting the transmission of signals from and/or to a tool in a high pressure environment. The system includes a connector through which a signal transmission line, such as an electrical cable or optical fiber extends. The connector is coupled to a protective tube, and includes an internal chamber in communication with the interior of the tube. A fluid, such as a liquid, is disposed within the connector and the tubing at a pressure higher than the environmental pressure. In the event of a leak at, for instance, the connector, the high pressure fluid flows outwardly rather than allowing the inflow of deleterious fluid from the environment.

Abstract: An improved die edge contacting socket incorporates particles of a thermally conducting material into an elastomeric compression pad disposed in the sealing cap of the socket. The elastomeric compression pad is preferably composed of an electrically insulating material, such as a silicone-based gel. The thermally conducting material is preferably either diamond, beryllium oxide, silicon nitride, or a like material.

Abstract: Address translation between various peripheral bus interfaces is provided through a bus interface device. Specifically, the bus interface device translates incoming transactions from a source bus interface to a different address or location within a destination bus interface. Flexibility for communications between multiple bus interfaces having different, possibly conflicting, address spaces is ensured by allowing the internal translation registers to be dynamically reprogrammed. Reprogramming of the translation registers may occur during runtime bus operations. These registers define translation windows within which a transaction will be claimed and translated to the destination bus interface. Translation is accomplished using the translation registers to identify portions of the incoming received address which should not be translated because those portions contain the information to be communicated.

Abstract: An information management system for tracking and analyzing information relating to medical supply usage on a procedural level in a clinical setting includes a general purpose computer system with storage means, processing means, display means, and input means. Information management software installed on the general purpose computer includes node software objects providing a health care information management function. The node software object includes a clinical pathway node software object, a case management node software object, and a resource utilization tracking node software object. The clinical pathway node software object creates clinical pathway module software objects, including resource software objects and container software objects.