Abstract: Transaction cards are provided wherein the foldable transaction cards have internal hinge material disposed within the foldable transaction card and fold lines for folding the transaction cards. In addition, foldable transaction card systems are provided, whereby transaction cards, having the internal hinge material, are provided within housings, cases or carriers. Moreover, methods of making foldable transaction cards are provided.

Abstract: A method may include providing content or a service accessible via a network to a user, and issuing a usage token having a usage credit that corresponds to a usage restriction associated with the user's network access subscription.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying the performance and health of wire systems and end devices, including instruments and processes. A computer runs software that collects data from sampled sensors, stores the data, screens the data for outliers, analyzes the data, performs in situ testing, and generates results of the analysis and testing. The system and method verifies not only the steady state performance of instruments, but also the dynamic performance of instruments and the transient behavior of the processes. In one embodiment, the system performs testing of the wiring system connecting the end devices located at the process. In another embodiment, the system also performs analysis of the amplitude probability density and a power spectral density determined from the sensor, or end device, data. In still another embodiment, the system performs a time domain reflectometry (TDR) analysis for a wiring system connecting an end device.

Abstract: A plunger mechanism comprising radial peripheral holes extending outwardly from a center core to an outer surface through which a downhole gas may pass to clear an obstruction on the outer surface of the plunger, thereby enabling a self-cleaning action.

Abstract: The annular surface between the tubing and casing of an oil or gas well may be contacted with a foamed well treatment composition containing a gas, a foaming agent and a liquid well treatment agent, such as a scale inhibitor, corrosion inhibitor, salt inhibitor, scale remover or biocide. The foam, upon destabilization, renders a thin film of concentrated well treatment agent on the external surfaces of the tubing, inside the casing and in the perforations.

Abstract: An improved cone and integral slip assembly is described for use in the anchoring assembly of a downhole tool, such as a bridge plug, frac plug, or cement retainer. The cone may include external fins that are integral to and run axially along the cone. The integral slip assembly includes at least one axial slot, which facilitates subsequent breaking up of the integral slip assembly into individual slip segments. Each slip segment may include a channel that is adapted to mate with an external fin of the cone. As the integral slip assembly traverses the cone, the channels of the slip segments ride on the fins encouraging the integral slip assembly to break apart along the slots into the slip segments. The spacing of the fins and corresponding channels in the slip segments are positioned such to ensure that the slip segments are advantageously positioned around the cone thus, locating the packing element of the plug in the center of the wellbore.

Abstract: A process for increasing profits of a business engaged in the purchase of large numbers of products and/or products of volatile pricing from numerous vendors that operates to identify pricing errors, preferably typically before payment, by automatically reviewing all invoices typically in the order they are received to determine a best system price for each line item of each invoice by reference to pricing factors such as volume discount, seasonal pricing, price protection, commodity pricing, competition pricing, and cash discount recorded in memory for the subject item and reference to payment history data, accounts payable data and invoice data. From the pricing factors and associated data, a best system price is determined and compared to the invoice price for the item so that pricing errors are automatically uncovered and, if appropriate, flagged to identify the same as an exception for warning or notification.

Abstract: A speech analysis system includes a codebook (230) that stores speech spectral parameters corresponding to a speech spectral hypothesis. The speech spectral hypothesis may be combined with a noise spectral hypothesis and the combined hypothesis compared to a sensed signal via a discriminant function (240). The discriminant function may be evaluated using the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) process.

Abstract: A rheometer die with a groove configuration for reducing sample slippage in a rheometer chamber is provided. The rheometer die includes a surface and at least one radial groove extending into the surface. The groove defines at least a portion of a sample-holding chamber constructed to hold a sample. The groove may include a first zone and a second zone with a transition zone therebetween. The groove may also include a substantially wedge-shaped portion with sidewalls which taper generally towards the center of the rheometer die such that imaginary extensions of the sidewalls intersect before reaching the center of the die. A plurality of grooves may extend into the rheometer die. The rheometer die may be incorporated into a rheometer for testing process characteristics of a material.

Abstract: A borehole logging system for the measure and the telemetry of properties and conditions of a well borehole environs. The system is embodied to measure fluids within the borehole, to measure high resolution images of the wall of the borehole, to transfer of data to and from equipment operating within the borehole environment, and to determine the status of equipment operating within the borehole. The embodiments are based upon emission, measurement and processing of electromagnetic radiation in the near infrared (NIR) region of the radiation spectrum.

Abstract: Systems and methods to facilitate commercial transactions conducted at geographically remote locations is disclosed. A wireless point of sale (POS) device may be configured to locate a payment system and transmit a payment authorization request from a remote location to at least one payment system, either directly, or via a payment system directory and/or a SSL Gateway. The invention also includes inserting third party account information into an encrypted portion of the payment request, so the payment request appears as a normal request to the issuing bank, but the third party account information may be used by the third party to bill the customer.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a mining roof support frame including at least one hydraulic lifting ram which is mounted on a bridging member connecting two base skids of the main frame, and which by way of a pressure-generated force can be extended downward against a walking bar of the walking unit of the mining roof support frame located between the base skids. In accordance with the disclosure, the base skids lifting device is connected with the bridging member such that it can pivot. With walking unit ram pivot pins withdrawn only on one side, the base skids lifting device can be pivoted out of the way about opposing pivot pins.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for detecting a specific sequence of the psaA gene using real-time PCR for diagnosis of Pneumococcal Disease.

Abstract: A general rule-based technique is provided for generating a test case from an abstract internal test case representation. The abstract internal test case representation is based on a test case representation model that includes application states (state information), external interaction sequences (control flow information) and input data. The abstract representation in essence provides a platform independent representation of test cases. An application object model provides the representational capabilities required for capturing structural and behavioral properties of the application under test. Rules can be specified to define which application states (state information), external interaction sequences (control information) and input data sets should be used in the generation of the test case. A technique based on platform mapping is provided to convert a test case into an automation test script for any specific test script execution environment for any specific application platform.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recombinant production, recovery and purification of endostatin protein. This method may be employed for large scale recovery and purification of recombinantly-produced endostatin protein.

Abstract: An assembly of a container and a connecting device for connecting the container to a pressure source, wherein the container is provided with a tapping rod having therein at least one valve for releasing an input and/or output opening of the container, wherein the connecting device is provided with a housing with a first coupling and the container is provided with a metal outer casing with a cylindrical neck, which neck is secured by a first end on the outer casing and adjacent the opposite second end is provided with an outwardly extending second flange, which defines a second coupling for cooperation with the first coupling, wherein the tapping rod has been secured in the neck and wherein the neck, between the flange and first end, is substantially smoothly finished on the outside, and has a diameter that is smaller than the maximum diameter of the flange, the arrangement being such that in coupled condition of the connecting device and the container the second coupling is at least supported against the unde

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new and potent tumor antigen capable of causing T cells to elicit an immune response and methods of its use in the detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer, preferably melanoma, in mammals. More specifically, this invention relates to the identification of a novel tyrosinase-related protein 2(TRP2), specifically TRP2-6b protein, and peptides derived from said protein. The present invention therefore also relates to nucleic acid seciuences that encode the TRP2-6b protein or peptide fragments thereof.

Abstract: A meter calibration apparatus includes a fluid intake conduit, a fluid discharge conduit, and a calibration cylinder connected in fluid communication with the intake and discharge conduits, the calibration cylinder defining a chamber. The apparatus further includes a piston slidable within the cylinder and defining first and second chamber portions on opposite sides of the piston, and at least one valve having an intake port in fluid communication with the intake conduit, a first flow port with a first flow conduit extending therefrom and connected to the first chamber portion for providing fluid communication therebetween, and a second flow port with a second flow conduit extending therefrom and connected to the second chamber portion for providing fluid communication therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention relates to subterranean treatment operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved treatment fluids and methods of using such improved treatment fluids in subterranean formations. An example of a method of the present invention is a method of treating a subterranean formation. Another example of a method of the present invention is a method of drilling in a subterranean formation. Another example of a method of the present invention is a method of degrading a filter cake in a subterranean formation. An example of a composition of the present invention is a treatment fluid comprising a degradable diverting agent. Another example of a composition of the present invention is a degradable diverting agent for use in a subterranean treatment fluid.