Abstract: Architecture that enables a user to designate acceptance to receiving social cards from other user in a social network using a personal digital assistant. A mapping component maintains the mappings of all users who have accepted to participate in card sharing and the acceptance level. A whitelist of users can be created that lists the users to whom a social card can be sent from an endpoint. The user can create local groups dynamically at runtime on the local endpoint, where the local groups enable the sharing of the personalized content with multiple users concurrently. The shared card is selected by the sending user and becomes available to the PDA on the proactive canvas of the recipient's PDA along with other cards. Based on the user engagement history, these cards can be ranked among other cards social or non-social PDA cards. Conflation, push notifications, and filtering are also provided.

Abstract: A vascular snare system and method for extracting elongated objects such as pacemaker pacing leads or defibrillator leads from the vasculature of a patient are provided. The system utilizes a sheath having a lumen through which two wire elements are deployed to snare and extract a lead. Each wire element has a magnet disposed at its distal end. The wire elements may be manipulated to form a closed loop transversely around a midsection or central portion of the body of the lead by coupling the magnets to each other. The wire elements may then be utilized to extract the lead from the vasculature of the patient through the lumen.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an asphalt roofing shingle, adapted to be laid up in courses on a roof, comprising an upper headlap portion, a lower tab portion, vertically spaced apart upper and lower edges, laterally spaced apart right and left edges and top and bottom surfaces. The bottom surface is configured to be laid up on a roof facing the roof and the tab portion of the top surface is configured to be substantially weather-exposed when laid up on a roof. The upper headlap portion is configured to be substantially covered by the tab portion of roofing elements in a next-overlying course of roofing elements when laid up on a roof. The upper headlap portion further comprises a plurality of parallel, evenly laterally spaced, first markings, the first markings being useful, at least, for aligning adjacent shingles, cutting books of shingles, forming starter shingles from full shingles and forming a grid of shingles without external measuring devices.

Abstract: A technological solution to the problem of meeting people solely through electronic communication is described. The technological solution includes receiving location data from a first user system a second user system of a potential encounter within a venue, and delivering a nudge from the first user system to the second user system. The nudge is a canned request to engage in an in-person communication for users associated with the first user system and the second user system. Upon confirmation of the nudge, and receiving confirmation of a human-to-human interaction, potential encounter contact information is provided to facilitate electronic communication between the first user system and the second user system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for dual energy imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises controlling an x-ray source with a first voltage to generate x-rays at a first energy, controlling the x-ray source with a second voltage to generate x-rays at a second energy lower than the first energy, and controlling a current of the x-ray source to peak above a target current when a voltage of the x-ray source is transitioning from the first voltage to the second voltage. In this way, the duration for transitioning from the first voltage to the second voltage is reduced, thereby enabling faster voltage switching of the x-ray source, improved energy separation in acquired projection data, and improved image quality.

Abstract: A method of repairing an indirect addressing structure of a file system damaged by corruption of a virtual data block (VDB) mapping data stored in corresponding physical data blocks (PDBs) includes scanning PDB descriptors to identify PDBs storing data mapped by the corrupted VDB, where each identified PDB includes a set of PDB entries each having a backward pointer identifying a corresponding VDB entry of a corresponding VDB. The identified PDBs are scanned to identify PDB entries whose backward pointers refer to VDB entries of the corrupted VDB, then a replacement VDB is created by (1) for each of the identified PDB entries, recreating a corresponding VDB entry including a forward pointer to the identified PDB entry, and (2) incorporating the recreated VDB entries into the replacement VDB. The replacement VDB is then incorporated into the indirect addressing structure in place of the corrupted VDB.

Abstract: A radio access network receives from an access and mobility management function, a first message comprising an Ethernet packet filter set for a wireless device. The Ethernet packet filter set comprises: source medium access control address; and a destination medium access control address. The radio access network determines, based on the Ethernet packet filter set, Ethernet header configuration parameters for the wireless device, wherein the Ethernet header configuration parameters comprise: a header compression index indicating the source medium access control address and the destination medium access control address; and Ethernet header profile configuration information element(s) comprising a profile identifier. The radio access network sends to the wireless device, second message(s) comprising the Ethernet header configuration parameters.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in part, to an apparatus configured to test a plurality of test samples within a sample cartridge. Such an apparatus can facilitate high-throughput tensile testing of such test samples. Also described herein are methods for using such an apparatus and for testing such test samples.

Abstract: A removable device for positioning a user's forearm and hand in relation to a guitar is provided. The removable device comprises: (i) a first strap overlying a first portion of the guitar and having attached thereto a first pad and a second pad; (ii) a second strap overlying a second portion of the guitar and joined to the first strap via a first connector, wherein the first connector is coupled to the guitar at a first point; and (iii) an adjustment mechanism overlying a third portion of the guitar and joined to the first strap, the second strap, the first connector, and a second connector, wherein the second connector is coupled to the guitar at a second point.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH100127. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH100127, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH100127 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH100127.

Abstract: There is disclosed techniques for managing data storage. In one embodiment, the techniques comprise recording index information in a block-based segment of a file system. The index information relates to an extent list in a virtual block map (VBM) pointing to the block-based segment. The techniques also comprise detecting an error in connection with the VBM. The techniques also comprise rebuilding the VBM based on the index information in response to detecting the error.

Abstract: A seatback carrier module includes first and second side portions spaced-apart from one another and interconnected by an upper portion. A cradle portion is disposed along the first and second side portions and the upper portion of the seatback carrier module. The cradle portion includes inner and outer edges with a rearwardly extending body portion. A mounting portion is disposed along a portion of the inner edge of the cradle portion. The mounting portion includes inner and outer edges with a body portion disposed therebetween. The mounting portion further includes a rearwardly extending sidewall disposed along the inner edge of the mounting portion. An airbag assembly is received within the cradle portion and has an inverted U-shaped configuration to substantially surround the outer perimeter of the seatback frame. The airbag assembly is an elongate member defining an overhead airbag assembly.

Abstract: A temporary tube placement system includes a tube having a proximal end and a distal end, a camera supported by the tube at the distal end, a plurality of fiber optic filaments through which light from a light source travels from the proximal end to the distal end, a screen for displaying images from the camera, and a power source electrically attached to the camera and the light source. The enteral tube includes a tube having a distal end portion for placement within a patient and a proximal end portion and a lumen increasing in cross section from the proximal end portion toward the distal end portion along at least a portion of the tube.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for treatment of a condition associated with disease stem cells, and especially cancer stem cells are disclosed. In one aspect, a patient is treated with a stem cell differentiating agent and/or teratogenic pharmaceutical compound to induce one or more destructive pathways in the disease stem cells. Most typically, the destructive pathways include apoptotic pathways, necrotic pathways, and autophagy pathways.

Abstract: Telematics systems and methods are described for generating interactive animated guided user interfaces (GUIs). A telematics cloud platform is configured to receive vehicular telematics data from a telematics device onboard a vehicle. A GUI value compression component determines, based on the vehicular telematics data, a plurality of GUI position values and a plurality of corresponding GUI time values. A geospatial animation app receives the plurality of GUI position values and the plurality of corresponding GUI time values. The geospatial animation app implements an interactive animated GUI that renders a plurality of geospatial graphics or graphical routes on a geographic area map via a display device. The geospatial graphics or graphical routes are rendered to have different visual forms based on differences between respective GUI position values and corresponding GUI time values.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a flip chip semiconductor light emitting device and a wavelength converting structure disposed in a path of light extracted from the flip chip semiconductor light emitting device. A substrate with a textured top surface is positioned with the bottom surface facing the wavelength converting structure. The wavelength converting structure is disposed between the substrate and the flip chip semiconductor light emitting device.

Abstract: A sizing composition including water, a polyvinylpyrrolidone film former, a silane coupling agent, a lubricant, and a surfactant is provided. The polyvinylpyrrolidone film former constitutes from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. % of the dry solids of the sizing composition. Wet use chopped strand glass fibers for use in reinforcing gypsum board are also provided. The wet use chopped strand glass fibers include chopped glass fibers having the sizing composition applied thereto. The sizing composition improves fiber bundle integrity, fiber flow rate, fiber flow rate consistency, and dispersibility of the wet use chopped strand glass fibers in a gypsum matrix or slurry.

Abstract: Systems and methods for building service templates that allow for an agentless, data-driven and stateful automation of a provisioning of services to mobile network customers. Data associated with a request to create a target schema object class for a device and protocol are received. Based on the device and protocol information, a set of data fields associated with CRUD semantics is retrieved from either a database or from user provided data. A decorated target object class is created based on the requested target schema object class. A subrecipe is created including the decorated target object class, and one or more other decorated target object classes. A recipe is processed for transmission to an execution engine to form a service instance, the service instance being customizable by an operator for a specific network device such that the service instance data fields that are not pre-filled can be customized by the operator.

Abstract: A method of monitoring respiration with an acoustic measurement device, the acoustic measurement device having a sound transducer, the sound transducer configured to measure sound associated with airflow through a mammalian trachea, the method includes correlating the measured sound into a measurement of tidal volume and generating at least one from the group consisting of an alert and an alarm if the measured tidal volume falls outside of a predetermined range.

Abstract: A spinal implant including porous and solid portions is disclosed. The implant includes porous portions on upper and lower surfaces and in an interior thereof. Methods of manufacturing and implanting such implants are also disclosed.