Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring an oceanic environment for hazardous substances. One system includes one or more subsea equipment arranged in an oceanic environment, and at least one optical computing device arranged on or near the one or more subsea equipment for monitoring the oceanic environment. The at least one optical computing device may have at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the oceanic environment and thereby generate optically interacted light. At least one detector may be arranged to receive the optically interacted light and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the oceanic environment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a torque limiter having driver mandrel and driven axially aligned mandrels, a piston movable into and out of an engaged position wherein the driver and driven mandrels are coupled together to transmit torque there between. Hydraulically locking the movable piston in an engaged position. Disengaging the hydraulic lock when during rotation when a specified torque magnitude is exceeded to allow relative rotation between the mandrels. Resetting the torque limiter by hydraulically locking the piston in the engaging position when relative rotation ceases or is reduced.

Abstract: Control of a single spot break (or all spot breaks within a predefined time period) can be dynamically split between different ad management servers, and between universal and targeted advertisements. Put another way, the particular type of process used to deliver advertisements (e.g. one-to-many or one-to-one) can be varied within a single spot break. Each portion of a split spot break can be dynamically adjusted in near-real time. If run time of advertisements inserted by an ad management server is either too long or not long enough, control can be passed to the next ad server late, or early, as appropriate. A single spot break (or group of spot breaks) can be split different ways for different stations, or for different tiers of spot breaks. Different spot breaks on the same station can be split differently.

Abstract: A marketing analytics system may include a mixed marketing channel modeling module to determine a mixed marketing channel model for a macro level, and an attribution analysis module to determine values for variables associated with behaviors of individuals for a microsegment associated with the macro level. A marketing analytics engine may identify individuals with similar behaviors, needs and preferences, and facilitate targeted product or service offerings to the microsegment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a communication technologies, and more particularly to a system and method facilitating communication in an adaptive virtual environment. In one embodiment, an adaptive virtual environment communication system is disclosed, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing processor-executable instructions comprising instructions to: create one or more virtual images of one or more communication devices via a virtual network; emulate one or more features of the one or more communication devices; synchronize the emulated features in real-time by receiving data from the one or more communication devices at pre-determined intervals of time; and execute one or more of the images of the one or more communication devices.

Abstract: What is described is a method for identifying a cancer patient that is amenable to anti-angiogenesis therapy in combination with chemotherapy for longer overall survival and/or progression-free survival by measuring the status of tumor cell HER2 expression, p53 expression, and apoptosis or endothelial cell CD31 expression in a tumor sample obtained from the patient prior to treatment. Bevacizumab, an antibody to vascular endothelial growth factor, is a preferred anti-angiogenesis therapy for treating several cancer types including breast cancer. Cancer patients with p53-negative or HER2 negative tumors, especially dual p53 HER2-negative tumors or tumors with low levels of apoptosis or high endothelial cell CD31 expression in the tumor samples are more amenable to anti-angiogenesis therapy with bevacizumab. These tumor characteristics provide a diagnostic method for identifying cancer patients amendable to anti-angiogenesis therapy plus chemotherapy for better treatment outcome.

Abstract: Viscosifying compositions having reduced toxicity are used in treatment fluids in subterranean operations; methods include providing such treatment fluids including a viscosifying composition and an aqueous base fluid, the viscosifying composition including hydroxyethyl cellulose, about 10% to about 60% by weight of 2-pyrrolidone, and about 10% to about 60% by weight of a water soluble monoalkyl ether of propylene glycol having substantially no swelling effect on the hydroxyethyl cellulose, wherein a weight ratio of hydroxyethyl cellulose to 2-pyrrolidone is in a range from about 1:2 to about 2.6:1 and the method including placing the treatment fluid in a subterranean formation.

Abstract: Methods of treating subterranean formations with treatment fluids comprising foam particulates are provided. One embodiment provides a method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising introducing a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture therein; providing proppant aggregates themselves comprising proppant particles coated with a binding fluid and having foamed particulates adhered thereto; and placing the proppant aggregates suspended in gelled treatment fluid into at least a portion of the fracture so as to form a proppant pack therein.

Abstract: A method is provided for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) comprising a) amplifying a reverse transcribed cDNA in a mixture comprising Norovirus Genogroup I and Norovirus Genogroup II primers and probes, wherein said Norovirus primers and probes distinguish between Genogroup I and Genogroup II viruses; b) quantifying virus; and c) normalizing data based on a universal internal RNA control. Optionally, the method may also include primers and probes for Enteroviruses. A reaction mixture comprising Norovirus Genogroup I and Norovirus Genogroup II primers and probes, wherein said Norovirus primers and probes distinguish between Genogroup I and Genogroup II viruses and universal internal RNA control primers and probes are also included.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus includes a control system that measures changes in the pressure of one or more zones of a patient supporting surface and utilizes the changes in pressure to determine the mobility of a person supported on the patient supporting surface. The mobility of the person may be measured using one of several methods. The mobility measurement results in the determination of a mobility score. The mobility score is graphically displayed on a user interface that is interactive and allows a user to view additional information besides the mobility score.

Abstract: A system and related methods of enhanced distribution of pharmaceuticals in long-term care facilities are provided.

Abstract: A system and method for determining formation parameters is provided. The system includes an induction logging tool having a plurality of transmitter coils. The induction logging tool further includes a plurality of receiver coils, each of the receiver coils being spaced apart from the transmitter coils by a predetermined distance and receiving a response signal from the formation. The system includes circuitry coupled to the induction logging tool, the circuitry determining voltages induced in the plurality of receiver coils by the response signal. The circuitry separates real or in-phase portions of the determined voltages from imaginary of ninety degrees out of phase portions of the determined voltages and determines formation parameters using imaginary portions of the measured voltages.

Abstract: A system for providing a shipping label and a packing list on a container is provided which enables rapid and automated sequential application of a packing list and a shipping label to the container. The shipping label is configured complemental to the packing list whereby the packing list may first be adhered directly to the container and then the shipping label may be placed thereover. The shipping label may be applied over the packing list while the container moves continuously down a conveyor. The invention further includes an apparatus for sequentially applying the packing list and then the shipping label, and a method for applying the packing list and shipping label in registry.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to allow a user to specify different merchant categories of transactions for offers that allow the user to receive different benefits for transactions in the respective merchant categories.

Abstract: Virtual access control may include detecting entry of a person into a virtual controlled zone, and counting and/or identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone. Virtual access control may further include determining an authorization of the person to continue through the virtual controlled zone based on a facial identification of the person, and alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone based on the determined authorization. An alarm may be generated if the person violates directions provided by the alert.

Abstract: Methods of propping subterranean fractures using swellable particulates. Some methods alternate the placement into a fracture of proppant and swellable particulates. Other methods alternate the placement into a fracture of proppant-free fluid and swellable particulates. Still other methods combine proppant and swellable particulates into a single fluid and place that fluid into a subterranean fracture. The methods are useful for treatment of low closure stress formations.

Abstract: Treatment fluids comprising an aqueous fluid and a low-leakoff particulate, wherein the low-leakoff particulate comprises a low molecular weight modified polysaccharide that has been crosslinked with a crosslinking agent wherein the low molecular weight modified polysaccharide contains one or more of the following monosaccharide units: galactose, mannose, glucoside glucose, xylose, arabinose, fructose, glucuronic acid, or pyranosyl sulfate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing payments using a dynamic security code are provided. An account authorization system may generate a plurality of dynamic security codes and transmit the plurality of dynamic security codes to a portable consumer device. The portable consumer device may generate a payment code comprising a transaction account number and a dynamic security code. A merchant may scan the payment code and transmit a transaction request to the account authorization system. The account authorization system may compare the transaction account number and dynamic security code in the transaction request to a transaction account number and dynamic security code stored in a database. The account authorization system may transmit an authorization message to the merchant.

Abstract: A transaction account is disclosed that includes attributes of a checking or savings account in that, for example, an account holder earns interest on a positive balance in the account. The transaction account additionally includes attributes of a credit-card-type account in that the account holder owes interest on a negative balance in the account. With such an account having the positive and negative balance attributes of checking or savings accounts and of credit-card-like accounts, the account holder or customer may manage the account more efficiently than by maintaining multiple accounts. The financial institution may save costs resulting from the overhead associated with maintaining numerous accounts for the same customer. Finally, the financial institution may benefit from charging a credit-card-like transaction fee to merchants that accept the card even if the transaction results in a positive balance in the transaction account.

Abstract: The present description refers in particular to a computer-implemented method, a computer program product, and an embedded system for increasing the speed of data retrieval by a client on the embedded system. The embedded system executes a client and an intermediary, wherein the client and the intermediary are executed separately, and wherein the intermediary manages the storing component. A request may be received from the client at the intermediary, for a first content element of a document. The intermediary determines whether the first content element is stored in a storing component and when the first content element is stored in the storing component: retrieves the first content element from the storing component; and sends the first content element from the intermediary to the client.