Abstract: A small gauge surgical instrument assembly is shown with advantages such as diminished “play” at the tip. A surgical instrument assembly is also shown with support along a length of the instrument that can be selected by the surgeon. In particular, very small and flexible instruments for vitreous surgery are shown with selectable stiffness, thus providing control as well as access to all parts of the vitreous cavity. Embodiments as shown are safer, and increase the variety of cases for which these instruments can be used.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one input connection, at least one output connection, at least one control connection, a voltage converter circuit having an input coupled to the control connection and an output, wherein the voltage converter circuit is configured to provide a voltage at its output that is greater than a voltage present at its input, and at least one switch circuit coupled to the input connection, the output connection, and the output of the voltage converter circuit. The switch circuit passes a signal received at the input to the output when the switch circuit is activated by the voltage converter output. Power to the voltage converter circuit is provided via the control connection, and power to the switch circuit is provided via the output of the voltage converter circuit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing and provisioning media content for display on a viewer device are provided. An example method may comprise accessing an advertisement database to obtain a plurality of advertisement media components. The advertisement media components may be provided by an advertisement provider that pays to have the advertisement media components accessible. An entertainment database may be accessed to obtain a plurality of entertainment media components, the plurality of entertainment media components being provided by an entertainment provider that receives payment to make the entertainment media components accessible. Thereafter, the entertainment media components may be interspersed between the advertisement media components to provide viewer media content. An award associated with the viewer media content may be selectively allocated and the media content is communicated to at least one viewer device for viewing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modeling a multilayer integrated circuit include three-dimensional interconnect models in multilayered substrates for greater accuracy. Mesh models are used to resolve effects of nearby elements and grid models are used to resolve effects of far-away elements. Sidewall mesh elements of three-dimensional interconnects are projected onto parallel (or substantially parallel) grids between the top and bottom walls of the interconnects so that grid models can be used to resolve three-dimensional effects of interconnects in multilayered substrates.

Abstract: One example includes a battery that includes a stack of at least one substantially planar anode and at least one substantially planar cathode, wherein the stack defines a contoured exterior, and a battery housing enclosing the stack, the battery housing defining a battery housing exterior, wherein the contoured exterior of the stack is shaped to conform to a contoured interior of the battery housing that approximately conforms to the battery housing exterior, the battery produced by the process of modeling, using fluid dynamics, an exterior of a biocompatible housing and shaping the battery housing to conform to at least some of the exterior of the biocompatible housing.

Abstract: A property sheet system and method for managing and organizing configuration information for components contained within a clustered environment. The property sheet system includes a user interface to display contents of a property sheet data structure. The property sheet data structure includes a plurality of entries, each entry associated with a non-modifiable parameter and optionally a modifiable parameter. The user interface enables a user to modify a selected modifiable parameter associated with the property sheet data structure. Once the selected modifiable parameter has been modified, the modified parameter is stored independently with respect to the non-modifiable parameters in the property sheet data structure.

Abstract: An acetabular implant for hip replacement surgery includes a shell component and first and second alternative bearing components interchangeably engageable with the shell component to provide a choice in bearing components. The shell component has a shell component engagement mechanism suitable for engaging the first alternative bearing component. A conversion ring is also engageable with the shell component, so that a shell component/conversion ring assembly provides a second shell component engagement mechanism suitable for engagement with the second alternative bearing component.

Abstract: A flux spray head, a mask, and an integrated circuit substrate are arranged in a flux spray station to reduce flux overspray during a spraying operation. A support element within the spray station is used to align the substrate with the mask and spray head. A portion of the mask contacts the substrate along a boundary between a region to be sprayed and a region to be masked. The flux spray head sprays the substrate while a portion of the mask is in contact with the boundary of the region to be masked. In an embodiment, the mask may comprise one or more replaceable non-stick stencil elements and associated springs to press the stencil elements against the substrate. Each stencil element may have a wall to contact the substrate along a portion of the boundary.

Abstract: A method of allocating, revoking and transferring resources from a pool of conference resources provided by a conference system comprises assigning a guaranteed status to at least some participants to a conference to be hosted by the system. At least some of the resources may be reserved for the guaranteed status participants, to enable the guaranteed status participants to participate in the conference. When another participant to the conference is received, the other participant may be assigned a provisional status. Unused resources in the pool of resources may be allocated as provisional resources to the provisional status participant and the participant is admitted to participate in the conference utilizing the provisional resources. The provisional resources may be reserved for, but are at the time not used by a guaranteed status participant. Borrowed resources may be reclaimed and transferred to the guaranteed status participant.

Abstract: An implantable pacing device for delivering ventricular pacing may be configured to intermittently reduce the AVD interval for beneficial effect in patients with compromised ventricular function (e.g., HF patients and post-MI patients). The AVD interval may be reduced in an AVD reduction mode, by shortening the AVD in an atrial triggered ventricular pacing mode or by switching to a non-atrial triggered ventricular pacing mode (e.g., VVI) and delivering paces at a rate above the intrinsic rate. The physiological effects of AVD reduction may be either positive or negative on cardiac output, depending upon the individual patient.

Abstract: A method for intelligently managing a transportation network is provided. The method may include providing a roadside apparatus 18 to communicate with nodes 14A to 14D associated with vehicles 12A to 12D in a transportation network, the vehicle nodes being in a neighborhood range of the roadside apparatus. The roadside apparatus may dynamically detect the presence of a node 14A associated with a first vehicle 12A, and establish a mobile Internet Protocol (IP) network between the roadside apparatus and the first vehicle's node. The roadside apparatus 18 receives, in real-time, from the first vehicle's node 14A event data of events associated with the first vehicle 12A over the mobile IP network. The roadside apparatus 18 or nodes 14A to 14D may further receive or transmit real-time command data to control subsystems of a vehicle.

Abstract: An implant (10) for anchoring on a bone (1) has a plurality of anchoring pins (20) which extend away from a fastening side of the implant and are provided for anchoring the implant in the bone. In different areas of the fastening side of the implant, the pin arrangement and/or the geometry of the pins are chosen differently. In particular, in different areas of the fastening side of the implant, the volume of the anchoring pins (20) per unit of surface area of the fastening side of the implant is different, preferably in such a way that the geometry and/or arrangement of the pins (20) is chosen according to the proportion of bone tissue in the total tissue of the bone substance, opposite which the area of the fastening side is provided, in such a way that, in areas where there is a relatively higher proportion of bone tissue as a whole, less tissue is displaced by the anchoring pins than in areas where there is a relatively smaller proportion of bone tissue.

Abstract: A computer system and method for caching configuration information for use in mounting and/or unmounting snapshot LUNs of a network-based storage system are disclosed. During a first request to mount a snapshot LUN, a discovery operation is performed at a host system to discover various configuration information used in mounting and unmounting various LUNs of a storage system to a host system. The configuration information is used to process the first request and then the configuration information is cached. During a subsequent request to mount a second snapshot LUN, the cached configuration information can be used to mount the second snapshot LUN, thereby avoiding a second discovery operation.

Abstract: Methods and circuitry for lowering the capacitance of interconnects, particularly Through Wafer Interconnects (TWIs), using signal level adjustment are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention seek to bias the midpoint voltage level of the signals on the TWIs towards inversion, where at high frequencies capacitance is at its minimum. In one embodiment, reduced swing signals are used for the data states transmitted across the TWIs, in which the reduced swing signals use a midpoint voltage level tending to bias the TWI capacitance towards inversion. In another embodiment, signals are AC coupled to the TWI where they are referenced to an explicit bias voltage directly connected to the TWI. This allows signals to propagate through the TWI while the TWI is biased towards inversion. In a third embodiment, the potential of the substrate is explicitly lowered with respect to the TWI potential.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a system for interfacing with multiple medical imaging modalities that includes a normalization module for normalizing hanging protocols for displaying medical images. The normalization can be executed as a function of similar image characteristics shared between multiple sequences of medical images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to production of fuels or fuel blendstocks from renewable sources. Various embodiments provide a method of producing a hydrocarbon product by hydrotreating a feedstock including at least one of a renewable triacylglyceride (TAG), renewable free fatty acid (FFA), and renewable fatty acid C1-C5 alkyl ester (C1-C5 FAE) in the presence of a nonsulfided hydrotreating catalyst to produce a first product including hydrocarbons. In some examples, the first product can be subjected to further chemical transformations such as aromatization, cracking, or isomerization to produce a second product including hydrocarbons. In various embodiments, the first or second hydrocarbon product with minimal or substantially no further processing can be suitable as a liquid transportation fuel or fuel blendstock, including fuels such as gasoline, naptha, kerosene, jet fuel, and diesel fuels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spacer, such as a polymeric spacer, for use with an implant device, e.g., a bone plate, for splinting a fracture of a bone. The spacer includes a body defining a bone healing surface, wherein at least a portion of the bone healing surface has a coating which includes a therapeutic agent, a polymeric carrier, and a buffer medium to stimulate bone growth and/or promote fracture healing. A kit is also disclosed which includes one or more of the spacers, at least one bone plate, and optionally one or more bone screws for securing the bone plate to bone. A method for promoting fracture healing in bone is further disclosed which includes securely situating a coated portion of the spacer adjacent bone.

Abstract: A system and method automatically associate wireless devices to point names. An installation plan indicates that wireless devices are installed at designated locations. Each designated location in the installation plan includes an associated point name, each wireless device is configured to transmit a message indicating itself as the source of the message, and each wireless communication device is installed proximate to its designated location. Expected distances are determined between one or more pairs of designated locations on the installation plan. Range estimate data is gathered from the installed wireless devices for one or more pairs of the installed wireless devices. A unique identifier within a signal transmitted by one of the installed wireless devices is associated with a corresponding point name on the installation plan. The association is determined at least in part by the expected distances and the range estimate data.

Abstract: A driving force member for receiving rotational driving force includes a base portion, a projection portion including three planar surfaces, the three planar surfaces arranged such that if they were extended and viewed in cross section perpendicular to the axis of the projection, they would intersect at 120 degrees in the form of an equilateral triangle, the three planar surfaces corresponding to a partial length of each side of the triangle respectively and offset from the center of each respective side of the triangle, and three joining portions joining each of the three planar surfaces, the three joining portions lying entirely within the equilateral triangle.

Abstract: Example embodiments provide various techniques for initiating read-ahead requests. A rate at which applications is requesting data from a data storage device is identified. Additionally, a length of time in retrieving or servicing the data from the data storage device is also identified. The identified rate and length of time in retrieving the data are used to determine when read-ahead requests should be sent to pre-fetch data.