Abstract: A flexible manipulator includes an insertion portion including a tubular flexible portion, a bending portion, and a distal end portion. The flexible manipulator includes an operating unit on a proximal end side of the insertion portion, the operating unit including a first operating portion. The flexible manipulator includes a tube inside the tubular flexible portion, the tube including a through-hole spirally extending along a longitudinal axis of the tube from a proximal end to a distal end. The flexible manipulator includes a wire extending through the through-hole, a first end of the wire connected to the distal end portion and a second end of the wire connected to the first operating portion. The flexible manipulator includes an adjustment mechanism. The bending portion is a tubular body between the distal end portion and a distal end side of the tube.

Abstract: The method for calibrating an endoscope is a method for calibrating an endoscope having a curved portion capable of being driven by bending, and includes: an arrangement step of suspending and arranging a distal end portion of the endoscope including the curved portion; a bending step of bending the curved portion of the distal end portion which has been suspended; a measurement step of measuring shape information of the curved portion; and an adjustment step of updating a control parameter by which the endoscope drives the curved portion, based on the shape information which has been measured.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic data document (EDD) and related system and method for use in a computerized clinical trial verification system. In an exemplary embodiment, the EDD is authenticated by the creator and validated by the receiver, and comprises an image of a source document (SD) that comprises a masked record of at least one interaction between a clinical trial investigator and a patient enrolled in a clinical trial, at least one revealed portion of the SD that includes evidence relevant to at least one question in a clinical trial questionnaire, and at least one annotation connecting the revealed portion to the at least one question. The present invention provides a computerized system and method for allowing a clinical trial investigator to answer questions from a clinical trial questionnaire pertinent to a clinical trial of a medical treatment using encrypted and partially masked electronic documents comprising images of original patient records.

Abstract: A window shade system may comprise a drive mechanism having a friction slip ring inside a brake hub, wherein the brake hub is configured to rotate with respect to the friction slip ring, in response to an at least partial rotation of the drive mechanism. The brake hub may be configured to overcome a break-away force between the drive hub and the friction slip ring. The brake hub may be configured to overcome a break-away force between the drive hub and the friction slip ring. The brake hub may be configured to overcome a break-away force of about double a maximum force that a window shade exerts on the friction slip ring. The system may include a spring plunger system abutting a bracket, wherein the spring plunger system may be configured to reduce friction against the bracket in response to a first at least partial rotation of a drive mechanism.

Abstract: A wiring member includes a first sheet including a fusion layer, a second sheet, and at least one first wire-like transmission member provided between the first sheet and the second sheet. The first sheet and the second sheet are fixed to each other via the fusion layer in a direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction of the first wire-like transmission member.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for agonizing a type-2 orexin receptor (OX2R) in a cell determined to be in need thereof, including the general method of (a) administering to a subject a cyclic guanidinyl OX2R agonist and (b) detecting a resultant enhanced wakefulness or increased resistance to diet-induced accumulation of body fat, or abbreviated recovery from general anesthesia or jet lag.

Abstract: A method for acquiring an eigenstate of a quantum system includes performing cluster division on multiple particles included in a target quantum system to obtain multiple clusters, where each cluster includes one or more particles, obtaining multiple direct product states according to eigenstates respectively corresponding to the multiple clusters, selecting some direct product states from the multiple direct product states as a set of basis vectors to represent a compressed Hilbert space, acquiring a Hamiltonian of the target quantum system and an equivalent Hamiltonian in the compressed Hilbert space, and acquiring an eigenstate and eigenenergy of the equivalent Hamiltonian as an eigenstate and eigenenergy of the target quantum system.

Abstract: A medical apparatus configured for insertion directly or indirectly into a living body is provided with a coloring part having a marking formed on an outer surface. The marking has a coloring layer of an acrylic resin containing a pigment and a protective layer of a polymethacrylic ester covering the coloring layer directly or indirectly, and an upper surface of the coloring part is recessed from a part of the medical apparatus, such as a covering tube of a sheath of an endoscope treatment instrument, adjacent to the coloring part on the outer surface.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing dynamic, prioritized spectrum utilization management. The system includes at least one monitoring sensor, at least one data analysis engine, at least one application, a semantic engine, a programmable rules and policy editor, a tip and cue server, and/or a control panel. The tip and cue server is operable utilize the environmental awareness from the data processed by the at least one data analysis engine in combination with additional information to create actionable data.

Abstract: A respiratory mask system is presented. This respiratory mask system includes an inflatable harness and a bone conduction device to provide audio to a user while wearing the respiratory mask system. The bone conduction device is installed on or interconnected with a portion of the inflatable harness, such as a tube of the inflatable harness that is positioned at least somewhat in proximate to a user's ear. Inflation of the inflatable harness may press the bone conduction device against the user to enhance the delivery of audio to the user.

Abstract: A user space driver for input/output traffic distribution and packet processing is provided. A device can establish a driver in user space with access to a memory mapped region shared with a kernel of the device. The driver can access a packet stored to the memory mapped region by a network interface of the device responsive to receipt of the packet. The driver can provide the packet to a selected application of a plurality of applications for processing by the selected application.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of an embodiment includes a processing circuitry. The a processing circuitry acquires contact information detected by a plurality of contact sensors provided at different positions on an ultrasonic probe inserted into a body cavity of a subject and causes an output interface to output information representing a state of the ultrasonic probe in the body cavity on the basis of the contact information and the positions of the contact sensors provided on the ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner, and more specifically, to a vehicle air conditioner in which an air conditioning module and a cooling module are integrally formed, thereby enabling miniaturization so as to enable increased space utilization inside an engine room, and enabling increased manufacturability.

Abstract: Methods and/or devices to determine patient respiration information are disclosed which comprise sensing acceleration.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing dynamic, prioritized spectrum utilization management. The system includes at least one monitoring sensor, at least one data analysis engine, at least one application, a semantic engine, a programmable rules and policy editor, a tip and cue server, and/or a control panel. The tip and cue server is operable utilize the environmental awareness from the data processed by the at least one data analysis engine in combination with additional information to create actionable data.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide systems and methods for securely storing private information of a user on a device of the user. A server may register a mobile device to store credentials of a user thereon, based on authentication of the user of the mobile device. The server may encrypt credentials of the user using a key of the server. The server may send the encrypted credentials to the registered mobile device for storage thereon without the key. The server may send a code to an endpoint device to initiate authentication of the user with use of the mobile device. The server may receive the encrypted credentials from the mobile device in response to the authentication. The server may decrypt the encrypted credentials using an encryption key of the server. The server may send the decrypted credentials to the endpoint device to authenticate the user at the endpoint device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing dynamic, prioritized spectrum utilization management. The system includes at least one monitoring sensor, at least one data analysis engine, at least one application, a semantic engine, a programmable rules and policy editor, a tip and cue server, and/or a control panel. The tip and cue server is operable utilize the environmental awareness from the data processed by the at least one data analysis engine in combination with additional information to create actionable data.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly having a first landing gear element movably coupled relative to a second landing gear element to move between a first condition and a second condition. The aircraft landing gear assembly further comprises a fibre composite leaf spring formed from a plurality of composite layers and arranged between the first and second elements, the leaf spring being arranged to bend when the first element moves from the first condition to the second condition. The fibre composite leaf spring comprises a first region and a second region, wherein the number of composite layers in the first region is greater than the number of composite layers in the second region. The landing gear further comprises a mounting assembly arranged to engage the first region of the leaf spring to couple the leaf spring to the first landing gear element.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an authentication device for authenticating a user includes a biological sensor, a storage unit, a communication interface, a detection mechanism, and a processor. The biological sensor acquires biological information. The detection mechanism detects attachment/detachment. The processor authenticates a user using the biological information, and when the authentication is successful, the processor then stores authentication information in the storage unit and turns off the authentication device. When the communication interface receives a magnetic field from an external device, the processor activates the authentication device using power from the communication interface, and upon receipt of an authentication command, if the storage unit stores the authentication information, the processor transmits an authentication signal indicating that authentication is successful to the external device.

Abstract: Provided is a method for concentrating a valuable metal contained in a lithium ion secondary battery, for processing a lithium ion secondary battery containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel, or a positive electrode material of the lithium ion secondary battery, to concentrate a valuable metal containing either or both of cobalt and nickel. The method includes a thermal treatment step of thermally treating the lithium ion secondary battery or the positive electrode material thereof, to form a granular aggregate containing at least one valuable metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel.