Abstract: A shielded electrical cable that has a set of insulated inner conductors and a shield made of a plurality of insulated wires, arranged about said inner conductors. Each insulated wire of the shield has a conductive core coated by insulation which is fused together with the insulation of the neighboring wires. Also, said conductive cores of said plurality of insulated wires are brought into mutual electrical contact at a longitudinal interval of said twisted shielded pair.

Abstract: Price searching and customer self-checkout on a mobile device is provided. A system for purchasing products comprises at least one subsystem that receives from a mobile device at least price and seller identification data of a product, (at least the price of said product having been electronically read by the mobile device), and at least one subsystem that charges a user for the product based upon the received price and identification data.

Abstract: It is disclosed herein that agents that affect the activity and/or expression of CXCL16 can be used to alter the uptake of D-type CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (D ODNs). Methods of inducing an immune response are disclosed that include administering agents that increase the activity and/or expression of CXCL16 and a D ODN. Methods of decreasing an immune response to a CpG ODN are also disclosed. These methods include administering an agent that decreases the activity and/or expression of CXCL16. Compositions including one or more D-type ODNs and an agent that modulates that activity and/or expression of CXCL16 are provided.

Abstract: An electronic trading system and method are described in which credit risk associated with a transaction is captured as a price adjustment on a trade-by-trade basis. In one preferred embodiment, a “request for quote” (RFQ) trading model is presented in which each dealer receiving an RFQ determines a base price as well as an additional credit risk adjustment amount by which the base price should be modified to account for credit risk. In other preferred embodiments, an exchange trading model is presented in which traders submit buy and sell orders whose prices are appropriately adjusted for presentation to each potential counterparty to account for credit risk associated with potential transactions. System designs are also presented to address the technical challenge of permitting each trading participant to apply its own credit risk algorithms and methodologies while avoiding their disclosure to other trading participants.

Abstract: A data management system may include computer code to receive data that may include financial data and related data. The computer code may store the data in a database. The financial data may include data not tracked by a general ledger, such as contractual commitments, operating leases, head count, environmental incidents, lost time, disposal of operations, etc. The financial data may be applicable to different business units. The computer code may be configured to permit access to, entry of, and sign-off on the data only by users granted authority to do so. The financial data may include different data categories, and the data management system may be configured to use a different workflow to manage the data based on the data category of the financial data. The computer code may generate reports from the data retrieved from the database.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for obtaining contact-related information associated with a party using an identifier. The identifier may include a calling party number, a previously-dialed number, and/or a number specified by a user. The identifier could also include an e-mail address, an instant messenger address, a photograph, etc. A request for contact-related information may be initiated by a user and/or a device associated with the user. The request may include an identifier associated with a party. Methods and systems may retrieve contact-related information associated with the party using the identifier. Methods and systems may leverage one or more networks to retrieve the contact-related information. Contact information may be retrieved in order to add a contact to a user's address book.

Abstract: Of the many methods provided herein, one method of reducing the viscosity of a viscosified treatment fluid includes: providing a clean-up composition comprising a carboxylic acid; providing a chlorite-based breaker system; providing a viscosified treatment fluid; placing the viscosified treatment fluid in a subterranean formation via a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation; contacting the viscosified treatment fluid with the clean-up composition; contacting the viscosified treatment fluid with the chlorite-based breaker; and allowing the viscosity of the viscosified treatment fluid to reduce. Also provided herein are methods that include a method of reducing polymeric residue from a subterranean formation that includes: placing a clean-up composition and a chlorite-based breaker system in a subterranean formation in contact with an amount of polymeric residue; and allowing the amount of polymeric residue present in the formation to be reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of enhancing the chemotherapeutic treatment of tumor cells, reducing resistance of a cancer cell to a chemotherapeutic agent, a method of inhibiting ABCG2, Pgp, or MRP1 in a mammal afflicted with cancer, and a method of increasing the bioavailability of an ABCG2 substrate drug in a mammal. The methods comprise administering effective amounts of certain compounds to the mammal, for example, a compound of the formula (I): Formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, X1, X2, X3, a, and b are as described herein. Uses of these compounds in the preparation of a medicament are also disclosed. Also disclosed are compounds of formula (II), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and uses thereof.

Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses support data entry and aggregate work entries for an account. Different work codes are mapped to different categories for an account. Work entries are aggregated for the different categories in a report or in an invoice for the account. A worker may be mapped to client, which may further include a client region, when aggregating work entries to different categories for an account. A data structure is formed to include account information. The data structure can assume different structure types, including a data cube having three or more dimensions. A spreadsheet file may be linked to the data structure, and the contents a database may be synchronized to the spreadsheet file. The contents of the database may be categorized, analyzed, and aggregated, in which the contents are exported to provide a report on a worker and/or account.

Abstract: A portable mass spectrometer having an atmospheric pressure interface for introducing ions generated at ambient pressure gas conditions into a vacuum of the mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer has a vacuum chamber having at least one vacuum section and at least one gas inlet for directing the ambient pressure gas including the ions into the at least one vacuum section. The at least one gas inlet has a gas passage channel of a length L and a limiting cross section S with a ratio of L/S being less than 20,000 cm?1. The mass spectrometer has a radio frequency (RF) ion guide in the at least one vacuum section positioned for collecting the ions from the at least one gas inlet and transmitting the ions further to a mass analyzer for analyzing the ions transmitted from the ion guide.

Abstract: A document migration system that controls release, from a source enterprise content management system, of batches of documents and metadata and loading, to a target enterprise content management system, of batches of documents and metadata that have been released from the source enterprise content management system. The document migration system maps source metadata attributes from the released metadata to target metadata attributes and stores migration records that describe migration operations from release from the source enterprise content management system through loading to the target enterprise content management system.

Abstract: A security door control system for managing the sequence of operation for security doors by controlling access between non-secure and secure areas. The system comprises a software logic installed on programmable logic controllers that operates the system by processing inputs from a plurality of local and remote sources and providing in real time individualized control signals to a plurality of fully automated security doors and multiple local and remote associated security door components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing validated customer feedback information about a service provider. Generally, the method includes providing a customer with a digital ratings device, such as digital pen, that is capable of receiving feedback information from the customer and uploading the information to a third-party provider. As the customer uses the digital ratings device to provide the information, the device may associate the information with temporal data, such as the time, date, and location at which the customer provided the information. In some cases, the temporal data is checked to ensure that the customer is actually one of the provider's customers. Because the information is validated as coming from a verified customer, the information is often more reliable than it would be if it were submitted anonymously. Thus, the validated information may present a substantially fair representation of the provider and be useful to potential customers.

Abstract: An apparatus (200) for accelerating an ion beam comprising: a) a first electrode (202) having a proximal side and a distal side and having at least one aperture (201) therethrough, the wall of the aperture being shaped such that the radius of the aperture on the distal side of the first electrode is greater than that on the proximal side of the electrode; b) a second electrode (204) located such that it is adjacent to but spaced from the distal side of the first electrode and having at least one aperture therethrough; and c) a third electrode (206) located such that it is adjacent to and spaced from the second electrode and having at least one aperture therethrough, said at least one apertures in each electrode being aligned with corresponding apertures in the other electrodes; wherein the electrodes are arranged such that there is a potential difference between the first and second electrodes and a potential difference between the second and third electrodes.

Abstract: An active, smartpipe stand (apparatus and method) for feeding and receiving pipe in a horizontal orientation to and from a pipe handling apparatus has a first pipe-lifting mechanism, a second pipe-lifting mechanism, and a pipe-rotating mechanism positioned between the first and second pipe-lifting mechanisms. The bottom of the first pipe-lifting mechanism is connected to the skid of the pipe handling apparatus. The bottom of the second pipe-lifting mechanism is connected to the skid of the pipe handling apparatus. The bottom of the pipe-rotating mechanism is connected to the skid of the pipe handling apparatus. Individual tubulars are unloaded, prepared, staged and sequenced, assembled and presented for delivery from horizontal to vertical. The pipe stand is positioned under the boom of the pipe handling apparatus when the apparatus is in the first position. The pipe stand extends within the skid structure.

Abstract: A secure credential validation compares stored and received modified credentials, e.g., biometric credentials, such that the validating system does not have access to the unmodified credentials. A capture system and a credential validation system are operatively coupled to a network (e.g., the Internet). The credential validation system is configured to store a set of modified stored credentials associated with the principal, receive a set of modified received credentials, and perform a credential validation procedure to validate the modified received credentials, wherein the credential validation procedure performs a one-way consistency test to compare the modified stored credentials and the modified received credentials. The credential validation procedure employs one or more similarity measures, e.g., a weighted quorum of exact matches, a discrete N-ball (or “N-shell”) intersection, or a client-based algorithm with encryption.

Abstract: Systems and methods for target optimization using regression are described. The system includes a regression subsystem to generate a function based on metric relationships, and an optimization subsystem to determine parameter values associated with an optimized target. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and Systems are provided for managing one or more communications lines associated with a user of a communications network. A service center may receive from a user line management information regarding one or more of the user's communications lines. This line management information may include a request from the user to handle all calls to the communications line in a particular manner (e.g., forward all calls to a different number). This line management information may also include information regarding scheduling the handling of calls to the communications line (e.g., scheduling call forwarding) or a request to handle calls differently based on information identifying the origination of the call (e.g., caller-ID). The service center may then forward instructions to the communications network such that the components (e.g., SSP or SCP) of the communications network implement the user's modifications.

Abstract: A part location system is described that utilizes computer-based techniques for bringing together repair facilities and suppliers to increase the efficiency of locating recycled, used or aftermarket parts using a computer network, such as the Internet. The part location system receives an estimate from a first user over a communication network. The part location system then parses the estimate to extract information that identifies a list of parts needed by the first user and automatically generates a request for quote (RFQ) using the information extracted from the estimate. The part location system then sends the RFQ to suppliers via the communication network. Subsequently, the part location system receives quotations from at least one of the suppliers via the communication network in response to the RFQ and presents the quotations received in response to the RFQ to a repair facility via the communication network.

Abstract: An apparatus for a pipe handling apparatus has a main rotating structural member rotating about a pivot axis relative to a skid and moving from a first position to a second position. A tensioning mechanism is affixed to the main rotating structural member. The tensioning mechanism applies a tension to the main rotating structural member when the main rotating structural member is in the second position. The tensioning mechanism has a first cable having an end attached adjacent a top of the main rotating structural member, and a second cable having an end attached adjacent the top of the main rotating structural member. The first and second cables have opposite ends attached to a fixed surface. The first and second cables extend angularly outwardly from a front of the main rotating structural member. The first and second cables extend angularly outwardly from the sides of the main rotating structural member.