Abstract: A network-based service may generate notifications regarding items of interest to a user. A contact selection service may receive the notifications and generate a user interface for transmission of the notification to the user. The generated user interface may include a unique identifier and may further enable the user to submit user contact information to request contact with a service agent. The contact selection service may further pre-authorize contacts between users and customer service agents CSA. The unique identifier, and optionally the submitted user contact information, may be employed by the contact selection service to selectively determine which customer contact requests received by the contact selection service are pre-authorized for contact with a CSA and enables such contacts between customers and CSAs to proceed.

Abstract: A damper for a bicycle having a primary unit and a remote unit that, in some arrangements, is substantially entirely outside of the primary unit. The primary unit includes a damper tube, a spring chamber, and a piston rod that supports a main piston. The main piston is movable within the damper chamber of the primary unit. The main piston and the damper tube at least partially define a compression chamber. The remote unit comprises a remote fluid chamber and, in some arrangements, an inertial valve within the remote unit. The inertial valve is preferably responsive to terrain-induced forces and preferably not responsive to rider-induced forces when the shock absorber is assembled to the bicycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing laurolactam from cyclododecanone oxime by liquid-phase rearrangement reaction using trichlorotriazine as a rearrangement catalyst. The present invention can provide a process which can solve the problem of termination of the reaction at a certain conversion, can prevent an inactive precipitate generated from trichlorotriazine from precipitating in the course of the reaction process, and can remove an inactive precipitate, an active intermediate and a residual catalyst.

Abstract: A breathing mask is disclosed, as well as a valve and a diverter that can be used within a breathing mask. The breathing mask can include a body, a respiratory interface, a balanced exhaust valve, and an inlet valve. The body can include an inlet and an exhaust. The respiratory interface can be configured to provide fluid communication between each of the inlet and the exhaust, and a user's respiratory system. The balanced exhaust valve can be configured to selectively flow fluid between the exhaust and the respiratory interface. The inlet valve can be configured to selectively flow fluid between the inlet and the respiratory interface. The valve can be a balanced exhaust valve with a fixed balance chamber. The diverter can include a tubular diverter body, a breathing port, an exhaust port, a demand port, and a diverter wall.

Abstract: A passively mode-locked picosecond laser device comprising a pump source, a laser crystal, a laser cavity, a mode-locked output structure is provided. In the device, the pump source is placed at the side of the incident end surface of the laser crystal; the laser cavity includes a plane reflective mirror and a first plano-concave mirror, the reflective mirror is placed opposite to the concave surface of the plano-concave mirror and located on the position of the focal radius of the plano-concave mirror. The normal direction of the reflective mirror and the axis of the plano-concave mirror form a small angle therebetween; the laser generated from the laser crystal oscillates in the laser cavity, and output through the mode-locked output structure. The device uses a stable cavity design of the equivalent confocal cavity, which can increase the optical path, reduce the repetition frequency, and significantly reduce the cavity length and volume.

Abstract: The present invention relates to scaffolds which can be used as medical devices for guided tissue regeneration and repair, in particular the invention is directed to a scaffold comprising fibers having a mean fiber diameter of between from about 1.2 to 4.0 microns, wherein the fibers comprise a glycolide. The invention further relates to the use of the scaffolds for the selective capture of cell populations for a cell source material.

Abstract: Thermostatic HVAC and other energy management controls that are connected to a computer network. For instance, remotely managed load switches incorporating thermostatic controllers inform an energy management system, to provide enhanced efficiency, and to verify demand response with plug-in air conditioners and heaters. At least one load control device at a first location comprises a temperature sensor and a microprocessor. The load control device is configured to connect or disconnect electrical power to the an attached air conditioner or heater, and the microprocessor is configured to communicate over a network. In addition, the load control device is physically separate from an air conditioner or heater but located inside the space conditioned by the air conditioner or heater.

Abstract: An electrical axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a first electric machine, which is rotationally fixed to a first input shaft, and a second electric machine, which is rotationally fixed to a second input shaft. The first input shaft and the second input shaft are arranged coaxially along an input axle. The axle assembly further comprises a first output shaft, which can be connected to a first driving wheel, and a second output shaft, which can be connected to a second driving wheel. The first output shaft and the second output shaft are arranged coaxially along an output axle. Further, they are connected to the associated input shaft via at least one transmission stage, in such a way that the driving wheels can be driven independently of one another by the electric machines. At least one of the shafts here has a bearing journal, which is radially supported in an axial bore of a shaft coaxial therewith.

Abstract: Disclosed is an expandable transluminal sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion of at least a part of the distal end of the sheath to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The sheath is configured for use in the vascular system and has utility in the performance of procedures in the left atrium. The access route is through the inferior vena cava to the right atrium, where a trans-septal puncture, followed by advancement of the catheter is completed. The distal end of the sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration during advancement to the right atrium and through the atrial septum into the left atrium. The distal end of the sheath is subsequently expanded using a radial dilatation device.

Abstract: A medical treatment system and method of treatment is described having an implant that can be positioned and deployed, then undeployed to allow repositioning of the implant. The system includes a self-expanding medical implant that longitudinally foreshortens upon radially expanding from a radially compacted state, a distal interface configured to attach the implant to a distal mount of a delivery device, and a proximal interface configured to attach the implant to a proximal mount of the delivery device. Moving the distal mount longitudinally away from the proximal mount applies a longitudinal tension to the implant causing the implant to expand longitudinally and contract radially, and moving the distal mount toward the proximal mount reduces a longitudinal tension in the implant allowing the implant to expand radially toward a fully expanded state.

Abstract: A manifold for accommodating at least one fluid is constructed of a plurality of modules that can be interconnected and configured to create a customized manifold. Couplers interconnecting a flow cavity of each module can be selected to determine fluid flow characteristics between module flow cavities. Each module has one or more valve ports. Valves or other flow accommodating apparatus are attached to the manifold via adapters. A first end of each adapter is sized and configured to engage a valve port, and a second end engages the attached apparatus.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a television apparatus includes a housing, a vibration module attached to the housing, a supporting portion which is secured to the housing and supports the vibration module for vibration, and an oscillation unit which causes the vibration module to vibrate. In addition, the television apparatus includes a plurality of first projections protruding from one of the vibration module and the housing toward the other, a sheet spanning between respective distal end portions of the first projections, and a plurality of second projections provided on the other of the vibration module and the housing and abutting the sheet at positions between the first projections.

Abstract: Cells present in processed lipoaspirate tissue are used to treat patients. Methods of treating patients include processing adipose tissue to deliver a concentrated amount of stem cells obtained from the adipose tissue to a patient. The methods may be practiced in a closed system so that the stem cells are not exposed to an external environment prior to being administered to a patient. Compositions that are administered to a patient include a mixture of adipose tissue and stem cells so that the composition has a higher concentration of stem cells than when the adipose tissue was removed from the patient.

Abstract: A method of dynamically sharing a media volume in a network includes associating a first media management module with a first media volume of a first storage device, associating a second media management module with the first media volume, the second media management module mounting the media volume and creating an access path to the media volume, and delegating management of the created access path to the second media management module.

Abstract: An application identification sensor comprises a plurality of emitters configured to transmit light into a tissue site and a detector configured to receive the light after tissue absorption. The detector generates a signal responsive to the intensity of the light and communicates the signal to a monitor. An information element is readable by the monitor so as to identify a sensor application. The monitor presets at least one user-selectable operational parameter in response to the information element.

Abstract: A method of fabricating and encapsulating MEMS devices is disclosed, using least two carbon films as the dual sacrificial layers sandwiching a MEMS structural film which is anchored onto a substrate and covered by an encapsulating film containing a plurality of thru-film sacrificial release holes. The dual sacrificial carbon films are selectively removed via plasma-enhanced oxygen or nitrogen ashing through the thru-film sacrificial release holes for releasing the MEMS structural film inside a cavity formed between the encapsulating film and the substrate. The thru-film sacrificial release holes, preferably with a relative high asperity ratio, are then sealed off by depositing a hole-sealing film in a physical vapor deposition process or a chemical vapor deposition process or combination.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for the developing of immuno-stained biological samples. The systems disclosed herein are automated and are configured to control one or more steps of the developing procedure. Reagents may be added using automatic syringe dispensing. Reagent temperature, reagent stirring, and wash procedures are programmable and can be separately controlled for separate immuno-staining procedures that are performed at the same time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pharmaceutical cabinet comprises sensors positioned within the frame and door of the cabinet, and the sensors are arranged in a predetermined orientation when the door is closed and a lock is actuated. The sensors are configured to communicate with one another when brought into the predetermined orientation to confirm that the door is closed and the lock is actuated. One or both of the sensors may transmit an identifier to the other sensor, and the communication between the sensors may be encoded. The cabinet also includes a sensor on the lock that indicates if the lock is engaged. The cabinet may generate a record of the times the sensors are moved into or out of communication and the times that the lock is engaged.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein relate to compositions comprising carnosine and N-acetyl-histitidine in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other embodiments disclosed herein relate to preventing and/or ameliorating one or more symptoms associated with an eye disease such as dry eye syndrome, cataracts of the eye and nuclear sclerosis of the eye lens. Kits for preventing and/or ameliorating one or more symptoms associated with an eye disease by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising N-acetyl-histidine are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a paper tube having a polygonal cross section includes a frame, an elongate core assembly having an end rotatably supported to the frame and the other free end and having an outer peripheral surface of a predetermined polygonal shape, and a delivery member installed to the core assembly for at least a portion of the delivery member to be exposed from the outer peripheral surface of the core assembly on which the strips are wound, the delivery member being installed for the exposed portion to move toward the free end of the core assembly after receiving the power, whereby the exposed portion contacts with an inner surface of the lowermost one of a plurality of the strips and thus a plurality of the strips wound on the core assembly continuously move toward the free end of the core assembly.