Abstract: A mechanism to compress manufacturing awareness into a small representation and to enable the router to consult the representation without performing, or understanding, detailed process analysis, is disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration may use asynchronous transfer modes to transfer redo to the standby and permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the failover will not result in data loss due to the asynchronous transfer mode beyond a specified maximum. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence.

Abstract: Tissue ablation probes are provided. Each tissue ablation probe comprises an electrically conductive probe shaft, at least one tissue ablation electrode carried by a distal end of the probe shaft, and an electrically insulative outer sheath disposed on the probe shaft. The sheath is at least partially composed of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and another material comprising condensed-phase particles interspersed throughout the PEEK to increase the echogenicity of the outer sheath. The durability of the PEEK allows the sheath to be formed as thinly as possible, thereby minimizing the diameter of the ablation probe, while the inclusion of condensed-phase particles within the PEEK does not significantly degrade the durability of the sheath.

Abstract: A spin injector for use in a microelectronic device such as a field effect transistor (FET) is disclosed. The spin injector includes an array of ferromagnetic elements disposed within a semiconductor. The ferromagnetic elements within the array are arranged and spaced with respect to one another in a close arrangement such that electrons or holes are spin-polarized when passing through. The spin injector may be located above or at least partially within a source region of the FET. A spin injector structure may also be located above or at least partially within the drain region of the FET. The spin injector includes a semiconductor material containing an array of ferromagnetic elements disposed in the semiconductor material, wherein adjacent ferromagnetic elements within the array are separated by a distance within the range between about 1 nm and 100 nm.

Abstract: A method of treating a neurological disorder comprises introducing an electrical stimulation lead within a patient's head, locating the stimulation lead within the 4th ventricle of the patient's head, and placing the stimulation lead adjacent the fastigium nucleus of the patient's brain. The method may further comprise stimulating the fastigium nucleus with the stimulation lead to treat the neurological disorder, for example, by increasing the flow of blood within the patient's brain.

Abstract: Coils, such as embolic coils, can include a substrate; and a porous material supported by the substrate. Related methods, devices, and compositions, can include: injecting a material into a container containing the coil; and forming the material into a coating that is supported by the coil and/or contacting the coil with a composition comprising a first polymer and a gelling precursor; and forming the composition into a coating that is supported by the coil.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for implementing controlled breaks using sub-resolution assist features. Sub-resolution bridging features are added to implement controlled breaks between features on the layout. The bridging features may also be used to facilitate or optimize multiple mask/exposure techniques that split a layout or features on a layout to address pitch problems.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, a system, and a computer program product for implementing compact manufacturing model during various stages of electronic circuit designs. In some embodiments, the method loads the full design database information on the master; distributes the tasks to be processed in parallel; loads a full design on a master; spawns a plurality of slave sessions; sends to at least one slave a nutshell representation of the electronic circuit design; identifies a task to perform in parallel and sends the task to be performed in parallel; and receives execution results or processing results from some of the plurality of slaves and updates one or more databases to incorporate the execution or processing results. In some embodiments, the method allows speeding up the applications without major rewrite without a need for design partition, and without memory penalty.

Abstract: A spin injection device and spin transistor including a spin injection device. A spin injection device includes different semiconductor materials and a spin-polarizing ferromagnetic material there between. The semiconductor materials may have different crystalline structures, e.g., a first material can be polycrystalline or amorphous silicon, and a second material can be single crystalline silicon. Charge carriers are spin-polarized when the traverse the spin-polarizing ferromagnetic material and injected into the second semiconductor material. A Schottky barrier height between the first semiconductor and ferromagnetic materials is larger than a second Schottky barrier height between the ferromagnetic and second semiconductor materials. A spin injection device may be a source of a spin field effect transistor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for delivering, monitoring, balancing, and/or dispersing high-frequency current flow in monopolar electrosurgery. The methods generally include positioning an active electrode in or on target tissue, positioning at least two dispersive electrodes on tissue remote from the target tissue, establishing electrical current flow from the active electrode through the dispersive electrodes, and individually adjusting the current through at least one of the dispersive electrodes to balance the current through the dispersive electrodes. By adjusting and balancing the current through two or more dispersive electrodes, safety of electrosurgical systems may be enhanced by preventing unwanted patient burns.

Abstract: According to the present invention, improved methods and apparatus are provided for providing cushioning and other ergonomic surfaces on devices requiring the patient or tissue to be compressed, such as radiography machines, fluoroscopy units, mammography units and the like. In particular a radiolucent pad element is provided for releasable attachment to at least one surface of a compression device to be used under x-ray, for example, during mammography. The pad element of the present invention can be disposable or constructed to be reusable and in some cases may be applied directly to the patient's breast. Furthermore, a cushioned paddle is provided wherein the compression paddle and the cushion can be separately or integrally formed.

Abstract: A robotic catheter manipulator includes a guide catheter including proximal and distal ends and lumen extending there through. A flexible bellows is secured at one end to the proximal end of the guide catheter and at the other end to a seal configured to receive a working catheter. In a loaded state, the working catheter is fixed relative to the seal. A ditherer is operatively connected to the seal for dithering the working catheter relative to the guide catheter when placed therein. The robotic catheter manipulator includes at least one force sensor for measuring the force applied to the working catheter by the ditherer. Force measurements may be translated into an estimated force that is experienced at the distal end of the working catheter which may then be displayed to the physician via a monitor or display.

Abstract: Methods of utilizing magnetic particles or beads (MBs) in droplet-based (or digital) microfluidics are disclosed. The methods may be used in enrichment or separation processes. A first method employs the droplet meniscus to assist in the magnetic collection and positioning of MBs during droplet microfluidic operations. The sweeping movement of the meniscus lifts the MBs off the solid surface and frees them from various surface forces acting on the MBs. A second method uses chemical additives to reduce the adhesion of MBs to surfaces. Both methods allow the MBs on a solid surface to be effectively moved by magnetic force. Droplets may be driven by various methods or techniques including, for example, electrowetting, electrostatic, electromechanical, electrophoretic, dielectrophoretic, electroosmotic, thermocapillary, surface acoustic, and pressure.

Abstract: A neurostimulation kit and a method of treating a patient are provided. The kit comprises a stimulation backing that includes a flat, electrically insulative, body having a pair of opposing first and second planar surfaces, and an electrode affixed to the first surface of the insulative body. The stimulation backing is implanted within a patient and affixed therein to place the electrode into contact with a tissue surface. The kit comprises a neurostimulator including a housing and stimulation circuitry contained within the housing. The neurostimulator is implanted within the patient by affixing the housing to the second surface of the insulative body, such that the stimulation circuitry is electrically coupled to the electrode.

Abstract: Implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery systems and articles are provided.

Abstract: Visually presenting spending behavior, spending patterns, and spending activity to a consumer across of their all receipt based purchase transactions. Receipt data is received at a first or host computer from respective transaction processing devices or host systems of respective merchants, or received from self-service action of the consumer, and identifies respective goods or services purchased by the consumer. A user interface is displayed to the consumer and comprises a thumbnail arrangement of discrete objects, each of which represents respective receipts generated by respective transaction or transaction processing devices. A discrete object may comprise data of one or multiple goods or services and includes category indicators that visually inform the consumer about the type of good or service. Embodiments may also involve requesting receipt data utilizing a mobile communication device, searching receipt data collected by the computer and responding to the request with requested receipt data.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved approaches for implementing design entry. An efficient, spread-sheet based representation is provided for both the instances and connections in a design. Visualization techniques provide the user with visual cues, to direct and identify compatible connection points, unconnected instances, and contention situations. Techniques are disclosed to automatically filter the spreadsheet in a variety of ways, to help the user to dynamically hide portions of the design space that are not interesting at a particular time, and thus to improve the efficiency with which they can work.