Abstract: The present invention provides a method of detecting adventitious agents in a composition comprising a microorganism by using ribozyme-expressing indicator cells, as well as indicator cells useful in such detection.

Abstract: Systems and methods of enabling or disabling functionality in a web browser or browser-based application are disclosed. An example method of controlling the functionality of an application program can include: contacting a server to request content; receiving a response from the server including the requested content and a token that is a text string embedded in the response; decrypting said token; interpreting information contained in said token to determine which features of the application program are available for displaying the requested content; and invoking a level of functionality in said application program in accordance with said token to make the features for displaying the requested content available. The token can be a digital certificate based on the server's domain name or an encrypted hash of the server's domain name.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for displacing tissue within the body, wherein the apparatus includes two or more attachment members selectively displaceable with respect to each other via a driving member. The driving member preferably is rotatable and is caused to rotate by manually activating an actuator by applying a depressing force from outside the body.

Abstract: Novel histone deacetylase inhibitors, including novel fluorescent histone deacetylase inhibitors, are described. Methods for making and using the same, e.g., to treat cancer, are provided.

Abstract: The invention is a method of treating, restoring or sealing a surface comprising applying an emulsion comprising a latex polymer, a cationic emulsifier, and optionally a recycling agent to the surface to wet the surface and depositing a surface treatment layer on the surface, wherein the depositing step occurs while the surface is wetted. The invention also includes a surface pretreatment composition comprising water, at least one acrylic latex polymer, an aromatic recycling agent, and at least one cationic emulsifier. Furthermore, the invention includes the surface resulting from the application of the emulsion used in the invention and concentrated emulsions for use with the surface treatment composition.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing assisted asynchronous replication between a first storage server having a first current state and a second storage server having a second current state. An instruction to roll back a first storage server from the first current state to a previous state according to a previous snapshot is received. The first storage server is then rolled back from the first current state to the previous state according to the previous snapshot. A determination is made as to whether the previous snapshot is available on a second storage server. Assistance data is then retrieved. A last consistency point common to the first storage server and the second storage server based on the assistance data is identified, where the last consistency point is at or prior to the previous snapshot. The second storage server is rolled back from the second current state to the last consistency point.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transconnector for joining adjacent longitudinal spinal rods. The transconnector preferably includes a bridge member and a pair of bone fixation coupling elements, the bridge member is preferably sized and configured to span a distance between the pair of bone fixation coupling elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the bridge member and sized and configured to receive one of the bone fixation elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the body portion of the bone fixation element. The bone fixation coupling elements may include a locking cap having a first set of threads for threadably engaging the bone fixation element.

Abstract: A method for texture characterization is provided. Multi-dimensional spectrum data are determined by transforming multi-dimensional image data into Fourier domain. The multi-dimensional spectrum data are partitioned into a plurality of partitions, wherein each partition is associated with a predetermined set of orthogonal voice frequencies. The partitioned multi-dimensional spectrum data are then transformed into Stockwell domain resulting in discrete orthonormal Stockwell transform data. The discrete orthonormal Stockwell transform data are then processed to determine data associated with image texture, which are indicative of a feature of the object.

Abstract: Provided are systems operable to effect a temporary change in a modulation transfer function (MTF) of a target imaging system. The systems include a light source operable to produce light for transient propagation onto at least a portion of the target imaging system, a power source in operative communication with the light source and configured to effect the production of light from the light source, and a transmission unit in operative communication with the light source and configured to propagate the produced light onto at least a portion of the target imaging system. The propagated light is configured for absorbance by the portion of the target imaging system; the absorbance causes an increase in temperature and a change in a refractive index profile of at least the portion of the imaging system. The change in refractive index profile produces a temporary change in the MTF of the imaging system.

Abstract: Technologies are described for implementing container space management (CSM) in a data storage system. Performance may be improved by ensuring that the maximum number of drive spindles is made available to I/O loads. This may be accomplished by distributing data equally amongst all drive spindles, even if the drive spindles are in different logical drives. A workflow analysis may be performed to determine when the I/O load on the storage system is low and thus identify preferred times for background data re-striping. Data may be re-striped in a minimum number of movements using a data placement algorithm and data placement maps to select data to be re-striped. The data may be re-striped such that the most frequently accessed data within a tier is moved first. Such re-striping can be performed in a manner which optimizes the performance of the storage system both during, and after, the re-striping process.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods of use thereof to prevent and/or treat pathogenic infection. In particular, the present invention provides the use of kinase inhibitors to inhibit kinases that involve in pathogen-host cell interactions that are associated with or cause pathogenic infections, therefore, to effectively prevent and/or treat pathogenic infections with far less likely to engender resistance as compared to conventional antibiotics and anti-viral drugs. The present invention further provides the use of kinase inhibitors for the treatment of acute pathogenic infections for a short period of time to avoid toxicities that may caused by long term use of these kinase inhibitors.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for taking snapshots of a storage volume. According to aspects of one method, each snapshot is represented as a unique sequence number. Every fresh write access to a volume in a new snapshot lifetime is allocated a new section in the disk, called a provision, which is labeled with the sequence number. Read-modify-write operations are performed on a sub-provision level at the granularity of a chunk. Because each provision contains chunks with valid data and chunks with invalid data, a bitmap is utilized to identify the valid and invalid chunks with each provision. Provisions corresponding to different snapshots are arranged in a linked list. Branches from the linked list can be created for storing writable snapshots. Provisions may also be deleted and rolled back by manipulating the contents of the linked lists.

Abstract: A flexible element that may be configured, among various uses, as an intervertebral implant for insertion into an intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies or between two bone portions. The flexible element includes one or more struts extending from superior and inferior endplates and bending towards one another for connection with one or more internal beams.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for achieving data consistency during a failover from a primary node to a secondary node in a storage cluster with a shared RAID array in a degraded mode. When the primary storage node receives a write I/O operation, a volume module on the primary node reads the missing data strip data from the failed disk belonging to the stripe targeted by the write I.O operation. The primary storage node communicates the missing data strip to the secondary storage node, which writes the missing strip data to an outstanding strip log. Upon the failure of the primary node, the secondary storage node reads the missing data strip from the outstanding strip log and writes the missing data strip to the shared RAID array, thus restoring data consistency to the stripe of the RAID array containing the missing data strip.

Abstract: Technologies are described for implementing a migration mechanism in a data storage system containing multiple tiers of storage with each tier having different cost and performance parameters. Access statistics can be collected for each territory, or storage entity, within the storage system. Data that is accessed more frequently can be migrated toward higher performance storage tiers while data that is accessed less frequently can be migrated towards lower performance storage tiers. Each tier can be associated with a range of ILM statistics referred to as the bucket for that tier. A pivot table may be provided that relates the tiers and the buckets. Operations on the pivot table can provide counts of how many territories may be promoted or demoted between any two pairs of tiers.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compounds for inhibiting HEC1 activity for the treatment of diseases involving cell hyperproliferation, e.g. cancer. The present invention also provides methods of identifying compounds for inhibiting HEC1 activity.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for eliciting an immune response against Streptococcus pneumoniae are described. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to immunogenic PcpA polypeptides, including fragments of PcpA and variants thereof, and nucleic acids that encode the polypeptides. The present disclosure further relates to methods of making and using the immunogenic polypeptides. Further provided is a method of diagnosing pneumococcal infection (e.g., pneumonia) in a subject by obtaining a biological sample from the subject and detecting one or more pneumococcal antigens that are selectively expressed during invasion (e.g., PcpA or fragments thereof).

Abstract: Methods and system for preventing or allowing an installer application from installing applications based on a comparison of the installer application actions to profiles and rules. The profiles and rules are established (and periodically updated) to identify a particular software installation process as undesirable and stop it from occurring. An install blocker processes the profiles and rules and compares them against what the installer is trying to do as part of its installation process. If the installer is attempting to install an application deemed undesirable, the user could then be notified, provided all of the information about what the installer was trying to do, and provided choice to allow the installation to continue.

Abstract: Techniques for maintaining mirrored storage cluster data consistency on systems with write back cache can employ write-intent logging and periodic log clearing. The techniques can track any outstanding I/Os, data in caches, and data that has gone out of sync between mirrored nodes due to link failures. The techniques can ensure that a power failure on any of the storage nodes does not result in inconsistent data among the storage nodes. The techniques can use gate bitmaps to log outstanding I/Os. The gate bitmaps may be periodically cleared. The clearing period may be selected as to allow enough time for all caches to be flushed and for all synchronizing I/Os to complete. Efficient queuing of I/O requests in conjunction with the efficient operation of multiple gate bitmaps can reduce performance impacts of the gating or logging operations.

Abstract: Disclosed are ionic liquids and methods of preparing ionic liquid compositions of active pharmaceutical, biological, nutritional, and energetic ingredients. Also disclosed are methods of using the compositions described herein to overcome polymorphism, overcome solubility and delivery problems, to control release rates, add functionality, enhance efficacy (synergy), and improve ease of use and manufacture.