Abstract: One aspect of the present invention includes determining a variable medical co-payment according to marginal clinical utility. A set of clinical factors are processed to identify a specific clinical condition. As provided by an independent panel of physicians, medical care alternatives are described for the specific clinical condition. The independent panel of physicians further indicates corresponding marginal clinical utilities of the medical care alternatives. Variable co-payments are applied to the medical care alternatives in an inverse relationship with the corresponding marginal clinical utilities.

Abstract: The present invention provides spherical rubber chemicals and the method for preparing the same. The spherical rubber chemicals of the present invention include spherical antioxidants, spherical vulcanization agents, spherical processing aids, spherical reinforcing agents, or spherical adhesive agents. With the spherical rubber chemicals of the present invention, the shortcomings of powdery or semi-spherical rubber chemicals are overcome, including eliminating the dust pollution during granulation procedure and avoiding the raw material loss and the environmental pollution, while solving the quality problem of lower melting point of product caused by the presence of fine powder crystal. Furthermore, the resultant rubber chemicals has an improved smoothness of surface, which is helpful to improve the flowing and mixing behaviors of the rubber chemicals in mixing or open milling process with rubbers.

Abstract: A method of providing miniaturized size down to nanoscale electronic materials, which may be easily incorporated into the future ever-scaling down power electronics, microelectronics and nanoelectronics device systems, is disclosed. A linear or nonlinear nanoparticle (nanowire) junction design that allows precise controllability over an electronic device (e.g., a varistor) performance, which is typically difficult for the traditional sintered bulk varistor, is also disclosed. A localized doping and chemical modulation, across junctions allows flexible and tunable design over the nanoscale grain boundary band engineering is further disclosed. Furthermore, a method of operating memory, using electrostatic potential modulated coding and decoding across periodic nanoparticle grain boundary linearly, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-based method and apparatus facilitate exchange of pathology studies enabling primary and secondary pathological diagnoses. A study consists of lower-resolution images, references to the corresponding higher-resolution images, associated image metadata, study metadata and patient metadata. The studies are exchanged from one organization (hospital, practice, or individual physician) to another organization through a set of interconnected dispatcher services. In a cloud model, a plurality of dispatchers may be connected through a Global Dispatcher, both facilitating the addition of new organizations to the cloud and allowing for the addressing of studies from any organization in the cloud to any organization, group or individual in the cloud. Efficiency in diagnosis is improved through the addressing of a study to a plurality of qualified recipients, as the first recipient with an appropriate, available resource may review and provide a diagnosis for the study.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method to vary bandwidth/speed of a compression engine to tradeoff with compression quality. The system comprises an input port receiving a data stream having a current byte and a stream of preceding and subsequent bytes thereof; a history memory storing the stream of preceding bytes in blocks of history data an index engine having a table of keys associated to memory addresses of the blocks, the index engine accessing the table to output a plurality of potential string matches upon entry of the current byte; a search engine processing the potential string matches by fetching the blocks of history data associated with each of the plurality of potential string matches and comparing a portion of each of the blocks to the current byte to output a string upon matching consecutive bytes in the block to the current byte and subsequent bytes thereof; and a control input limiting the number of potential string matches processed by the search engine.

Abstract: A technique for cooling equipment racks that contain multiple individual devices, such as computers, that each have their own internal cooling fans. An air passage (“shunt tube”) is placed between a compartment inside the rack, and the ambient air outside the rack, or between compartments inside the rack. Sensors inside the air passage detect movement of the air inside the passage, and thus indirectly measure the presence of a differential pressure. The preferred sensor embodiment uses temperature sensors, and takes advantage of the differences of the air temperatures inside the computer rack, and outside the computer rack (or between internal computer rack compartments) to determine if the air is moving through the air passage, and which direction the air is moving.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for automating translation of language specific constructs to UML (Unified Modeling Language) during wizard workflow. The invention provides an integration of UML mapping within the wizards that are available within integrated development environments (IDE's). As the user specifies the language specific details within a wizard, the appropriate corresponding UML element (depiction) is drawn and displayed within the wizard. This provides a user with an automated visual depiction of his work utilizing UML and yet allows him to work in the programming language of the wizard. Further, this allows the user to learn UML. Other modeling languages may be applied.

Abstract: A wellness system monitors the controlled progress of patients under surveillance and includes a server base station which is generally off-site, a web-site interface and a local station at the point-of-use, which is generally a health or fitness center. A unique data base is created for each user and goals and objectives may be set with progress monitored. Typically, the user will respond to a surveyor questionnaire to populate his specific database. This is combined with a professional assessment and an automated measurement of vital statistics such as weight, blood pressure and body composition as measured at the local station. Other data may be entered manually such as height, age and the like. In a more comprehensive system the invention is designed to monitor other data such as cholesterol and blood glucose, as well. The locally input data may be updated at will by the user or on behalf of the user by professional personnel.

Abstract: Included are methods for modeling at least one physical property of a mixture of at least two chemical species. One or more chemical species of the mixture are approximated or represented by at least one conceptual segment. The conceptual segments are then used to compute at least one physical property of the mixture. An analysis of the computed physical properties forms a model of at least one physical property of the mixture. Also included are computer program products and computer systems for implementing the modeling methods.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of a multi-input access device and method for using which allow access to an event or venue include a detector for detecting authentication data for a person and a processor for authenticating the authentication data to verify that the person is allowed to access the event. The authentication data includes at least paperless authentication data for the person. The authentication data may include a printed ticket, a magnetic strip, a bar code, a credit card, an identification card, a smart card, a radio frequency identifier, an electronic device, biometric data, a signal, and/or other authentication data. The access device may include an access gate, a turnstile, a handheld access device, a retrofit unit, and/or other access device. In an embodiment, the access device includes a verification module generating access verification data for the person.

Abstract: There is provided an optical limiter device for protecting an object from incident light having a wavelength in the visible, infrared or ultraviolet spectrum. The device comprises a plurality of nanoparticles of a metallic material including free electrons that undergo collective oscillations when exposed to the incident light. The plurality of nanoparticles of the metallic material include a plurality of nanoparticles of a non-spherical particle geometry, which may include a geometry having a plurality of sharp protrusions on a spherical body. The metallic material may include gold, silver, aluminum, indium or copper. The device further comprises a structurally rigid transparent medium in which the plurality of nanoparticles of the metallic material are embedded; and a mechanical support mounting the transparent medium between the incident light and the object.

Abstract: Provided herein is an antibacterial compound of the following formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The antibacterial compound has antibacterial properties against a diverse range of gram negative bacteria and reduced toxicity compared to polymyxins such as polymyxin B. Also provided are antibacterial pharmaceutical compositions containing the antibacterial compound, as well as methods for preparing the antibacterial compound.

Abstract: The specification discloses methods and apparatus for selecting the better of two or more copies of a cell in a cell-oriented redundant switching system connected to an external communications network. In the preferred embodiment, the best cell copy selection aligns redundantly transmitted cell streams before selecting cells for insertion in the data stream. Because the streams are aligned before the selection is made, the best cell copy selector compares each cell at the same instant in time, rather than basing its selection on past events.

Abstract: Erroneous data due to faults are prevented from propagating through a distributed network node having diversely routed communications links by using a fault masking technique that eliminates the 60 ms of error propagation time associated with SONET networks. The fault masking technique can also prevent random bit errors from propagating through the distributed network node. A frame alignment technique used in the network node is scalable for very wide words (e.g., 128 bits) for use with high speed optical communications protocols, such as OC-192.

Abstract: A system and method of developing sales information for use in a buyer-seller environment is directed to providing one or more qualifiers which relate to a sales offering; determining value criteria, for each qualifier, to identify potential value of the sales offering; determining ideal buying criteria based on a competitive analysis; and developing the sales information from the value and buying criteria. The sales information, which can be a letter of understanding (LOU) or a buyer needs assessment, can be stored on a server and updated and accessed by one or more sellers. The updating can be an iterative process that is responsive to feedback about the sales information.

Abstract: An efficient RAID-6 double parity erasure code scheme. Efficiency is provided by the addition of a single term to a diagonal parity equation. For example, in a five-wide layout (having five physical storage devices) the RAID-6 “parity diagonals” end up with six terms, which are the actual diagonal plus one more data block. As a result, no one data symbol contributes to the erasure code determined from the data symbols, such that no more than n+1 data symbols contribute to any one parity symbol.

Abstract: A spider for an extrusion apparatus located upstream from a die, through which a profile is extruded. The spider can have an outer housing with a central flow passage therethrough. An inner hub can be positioned within the central passage for supporting an inner portion of the die. At least one spider leg can be secured to the outer housing and the inner hub, and support the inner hub within the central passage. The at least one spider leg can recess radially rearwardly outwardly in the downstream direction such that molten polymer flowing through the central passage flows around the at least one spider leg, separating and rejoining together earlier in inner radial regions close to the inner hub than in outer radial regions close to the outer housing for reducing spider lines on inside surfaces of extruded profiles.

Abstract: A modular routing node includes a single input port and a plurality of output ports. The modular routing node is arranged to produce a plurality of different deflections and uses small adjustments to compensate for wavelength differences and alignment tolerances in an optical system. An optical device is arranged to receive a multiplex of many optical signals at different wavelengths, to separate the optical signals into at least two groups, and to process at least one of the groups adaptively.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating an interactive map for displaying and analyzing a compressive intellectual property landscape within a given field. Based on content analysis of relevant patents and patent applications, this prior art map provides a systematic review of vast quantities of data, thereby allowing the user to discern critical technology and product trends, prior art references, and the strategies of both leading and emerging competitors. Each patent represented on the map can be analyzed within the context of the prior art landscape to uncover novel features, strong claims, and business and technology trends. This comprehensive view can provide a foundation for creating effective corporate strategies in-tune with the realities of the intellectual property terrain.

Abstract: Tokens containing a unique identification code that allow admission or access to entertainment or personal services are sold and distributed. A seller-distributor node on a global computer network affects transactions that exchange tokens for payment. The tokens represent remittance for services provided by a plurality of service providers. For each token obtained through the seller-distributor node, the system allows a variable rate of redemption at the plurality of service providers upon use by the token (ticket) holder. The token (ticket) holder/user selects which one of the plurality of service providers to request remittance for services at the respective service provider's rates. Different rates exist for a same or equivalent service across at least some of the service providers. Rendering of the token enables remittance for service by the ticket holder/user selected service provider at the selected service provider rate.