Abstract: A system and method for communicating and validating patient information including medication delivery information in a care-giving facility is provided. A medical transaction carrier is used to communicate information regarding medication delivery and other patient information between a control system in communication with the care-giving facility's other information systems and a patient specific asset such as an infusion pump. All information carried by the medical transaction carrier is validated both at the patient specific asset and at the control system. This validation allows for positive control of all transactions even if a medical transaction carrier is lost. The medical transaction carrier may be a smartcard, a PDA such as a Palm™ Pilot, laptop computer, pager, mobile phone, or other device capable of storing and communicating information. The system may use either wired or wireless connections to communicate information between the components of the system.

Abstract: A vented vial adapter for reconstitution of a medicament in a vial includes a vent lumen and a medicament lumen. The vent lumen has a cross-sectional area equal to or greater than that of the medicament lumen so that the fluid flow rate through the vent lumen is equal to or greater than that of the medicament lumen. As a result aerosols of the medicament outside the adapter are avoided as is the withdrawal of air bubbles from the vial as the reconstituted medicament is withdrawn from the vial. To maintain the diameter of the sharpened cannula of the vial adapter as small as possible, the vent lumen includes a concave wall facing the medicament lumen and a convex outer wall. In one embodiment, the vent lumen is in the shape of a polygon.

Abstract: A medication safety system includes a panel mounted to an IV pole above a multi-channel infusion pump also mounted to the IV pole. The panel includes multiple RFID readers for reading the RFID tags placed on each of the medication containers mounted to the panel. The pump includes a controller that communicates with the RFID readers at the panel to receive the information read by the RFID readers and automatically program the respective pump channel. A verification program verifies that the medication delivery information from the containers matches the patient identified for the pump and the programming parameters of the pump fall within acceptable ranges. In another aspect, the panel contains multiple vibration devices to impart vibrations to the medication of each of the containers mounted to the panel. Those vibrations are sensed by the particular pumping channel to confirm that the correct channel has been programmed for that medication.

Abstract: A syringe driver system comprises a rotatable threaded lead screw shaft and a plunger which directly engages the threaded shaft such that rotation of the shaft drives the plunger into the syringe body. The plunger is formed with a threaded shaft engaging portion in the form of a half nut to engage with and follow the threaded shaft. The syringe driver system further comprises a guide system to secure the plunger in direct engagement with the threaded shaft and to prevent rotation of the plunger. An arm of the plunger stem carries markers useful in determining the near end of infusion. The syringe body carries a marker or markers useful in determining a characteristic about the syringe, such as its volume.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for orchestrating multiple fractures at multiple well locations in a region by flowing well treatment fluid from a centralized well treatment fluid center includes the steps of configuring a well treatment fluid center for fracturing multiple wells, inducing a fracture at a first well location, measuring effects of stress fields from the first fracture, determining a time delay based in part upon the measured stress effects, inducing a second fracture after the time delay at a second location based upon the measured effects, and measuring the stress effects of stress fields from the second fracture. Sensors disposed about the region are adapted to output effects of the stress fields. Location and orientation of subsequent fractures is based on the combined stress effects of the stress fields as a result of the prior fractures which provides for optimal region development.

Abstract: A signal transmission apparatus includes a symbol block generator configured to generate a first symbol block by multiplexing data information and control information in a symbol period, and a transmitter configured to transmit the first symbol block over a wireless communication network. In certain configurations, the transmitter is configured to transmit a predetermined number of symbol blocks within a transmit time interval.

Abstract: This invention relates to enzymes and methods for producing the same. More specifically this invention relates to a variety of fungal enzymes. Nucleic acid molecules encoding such enzymes, compositions, recombinant and genetically modified host cells, and methods of use are described. The invention also relates to a method to convert lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars with enzymes that degrade the lignocellulosic material and novel combinations of enzymes, including those that provide a synergistic release of sugars from plant biomass. The invention also relates to methods to use the novel enzymes and compositions of such enzymes in a variety of other processes, including washing of clothing, detergent processes, deinking and biobleaching of paper and pulp, and treatment of waste streams.

Abstract: Methods are provided for reducing the loss of a wellbore servicing fluid to a subterranean formation. A polymeric solution and an activator may be contacted in the formation, thereby forming a precipitate to at least partially block fluid from flowing further into the formation. The fluid may be, for example, a drilling fluid, a cement composition, a workover fluid, or combinations thereof. The polymeric solution may comprise a polyvinylpyrrolidone aqueous solution, and the activator may comprise a formate brine. In one embodiment, the polymeric solution and the activator are contacted before completing a drilling operation in the wellbore. In another embodiment, they are contacted before completing a primary cementing operation in the wellbore. In yet another embodiment, they are contacted before completing a secondary cementing operation in the wellbore. When desirable, the precipitate may be easily and quickly removed from the subterranean formation by dissolving it in fresh water.

Abstract: The invention pertains to novel proteins corresponding to Chrysosporium glycosyl hydrolases of families 7 and 10, exhibiting a minimum aminoacid identity of 70 and 75%, respectively, with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No's 2 and 4, and to a protein corresponding to a Chrysosporium glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase, exhibiting at least 86% amino acid identity with the partial amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 6. The invention further relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding these proteins, and especially to promoter sequences regulating the expression of the corresponding genes. The preferred host for expressing these genes is a fungus, especially a Chrysosporium strain.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided that include a water-in-oil composition comprising an oil-based continuous phase and a discontinuous phase that comprises at least a plurality of hydrogel droplets and a method comprising providing a water-in-oil emulsion comprising an oil-based continuous phase and a discontinuous phase that comprises at least a plurality of hydrogel droplets; and placing the water-in-oil emulsion in a well bore penetrating a subterranean formation. Additional methods are also provided.

Abstract: A computer-based method and apparatus for the analysis specification and support of work processes. The system is designed to support multiple interdependent decisions, at least some of which require collaboration among multiple participants (116). Work processes are modeled using an application framework (99) used to develop abstract, decision (100) process models. The decision (100) process models are used as a pattern to instantiate concrete process models that incorporate the work defined by the abstract process. The process model is then used to instantiate project models that incorporate the required work from the process. The project models are used to direct and guide the behavior of the participants (116) in the work process.

Abstract: Methods are provided that include a method of reducing fluid loss in a subterranean formation comprising placing a lost circulation composition comprising a base fluid and a swellable elastomer in at least a portion of a subterranean formation comprising a lost circulation zone; allowing the swellable elastomer to at least partially swell upon contact with a fluid; and allowing the lost circulation composition to at least partially reduce the loss of fluid to the subterranean formation. Additional methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method of communicating between a central location and multiple well locations is disclosed that includes the steps of stimulating a first well from the central location using a first stimulation fluid through a first fluid line; and simultaneously stimulating a second well from the central location using a second stimulation fluid through a second fluid line. An apparatus for centralized well operations is disclosed that includes a well treatment operations factory which manufactures and pumps a well stimulation fluid; a first connection between a first well location and the well operations factory; a second connection between a second well location and the well operations factory; and means for simultaneously flowing a first stimulation fluid to the first well location and a second stimulation fluid to a second well location. Manifolds for centralized well stimulation are disclosed.

Abstract: Cement compositions including environmentally compatible defoamers and methods of using such cement compositions are provided herein. An example of a method is a method of reducing foam generation in a cement composition. An example of a composition is a is a cement composition comprising water, hydraulic cement, and a defoamer.

Abstract: A readhead for illuminating a sample carrier and receiving light from the sample carrier, including a housing for receiving a sample carrier, an array of light sources mounted within the housing in a fixed position relative to the sample carrier, and including first and second light-emitting diodes for emitting substantially monochromatic light of a two different wavelengths, a light guide mounted in the housing between the light-emitting diodes and the sample carrier, and a light detector coupled to receive light from the sample carrier. The readhead also includes a light source for directing excitation light of a predetermined wavelength to the sample carrier, and a light filter positioned between the sample carrier and the light detector and adapted to prevent passage therethrough of the excitation light. The readhead allows both fluorescence spectroscopy and reflectance spectroscopy to be conducted on the sample carrier.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a substrate for defects, including: (a) obtaining an inspected pixel and a reference pixel; (b) calculating an inspected value and a reference value, the inspected value representative of the inspected pixel and the reference value representative of the reference pixel; (c) selecting a threshold in response to a selected value out of the inspected value and the reference value; and (d) determining a relationship between the selected threshold, the reference value and the inspected value to indicate a presence of a defect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to parallel genotyping (or other sample analysis) of multiple patients by direct sample immobilization onto microspheres of an array. The patient beads can then be used in a variety of target analyte analyses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer is provided for reducing dimensional variation by feeding forward information relating to photoresist mask CD and profile and underlying layer thickness measured at several points on the wafer to adjust the next process the inspected wafer will undergo (e.g., the etch process). After the processing step, dimensions of a structure formed by the process, such as the CD and depth of a trench formed by the process, are measured at several points on the wafer, and this information is fed back to the process tool to adjust the process for the next wafer to further reduce dimensional variation. In certain embodiments, the CD, profile, thickness and depth measurements, etch processing and post-etch cleaning are performed at a single module in a controlled environment.

Abstract: A method and processor for providing context-based adaptive binary arithmetic CABAC coding. Binarization is performed on one or more syntax elements to obtain a binary sequence. Data bits of the said binary sequence are provided to an arithmetic encoding unit in bulk. Binarization is performed on one or more syntax elements to generate exp Golomb code by converting mapped syntax-element values to corresponding floating point type values. Re-normalization of CABAC encoding is performed by restructuring the re-normalization into two processing units including an arithmetic encoding unit and a bit writing unit. The bit writing unit is configured to format signal bits into a multiple-bit sequence, and write multiple bits simultaneously during an execution of a bit writing loop.

Abstract: An image processing device which processes a portion of the decompression process including a lot of comparatively complex operations like an inverse discrete cosine transform by software with using a high-performance, general-purpose processor capable of parallel processing, and the other portion of the decompression process which is compara- tively simple but requires frequent access to a memory, e.g., when other frame data is to be read out for processing of encoded interframe predictive image data, or is compara- tively simple but substantially hard to process in parallel, e.g., when variable length coded pixel values are to be decoded, by hardware with the use of a specialized periph- eral circuit.