Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for maintaining a plurality of data storages coherent with one another for redundancy purposes. The system includes a first data storage system and a second data storage system. The first data storage system is coupled to a first transaction processor for handling input and output transactions, and is coupled to a wide area network. The second data storage system is coupled to a second transaction processor for handling input and output transactions, and is coupled to the wide area network. The first transaction processor permits a first data write transaction to occur with respect to data within the first data storage system, and the second transaction processor permits a second data write transaction to occur with respect to data within the second data storage system.

Abstract: A cement mixture is disclosed that includes an aqueous mending agent that is disbursed within but isolated from the cement mixture, wherein the aqueous mending agent will form molecular bonds with hardened cement that is formed by the cement mixture when the mending agent is permitted to flow within the hardened cement.

Abstract: A polypeptide with a predominantly hydrophobic sequence long enough to span a membrane lipid bilayer as a transmembrane helix (TM) and comprising one or more dissociable groups inserts across a membrane spontaneously in a pH-dependant fashion placing one terminus inside cell. The polypeptide conjugated with various functional moieties delivers and accumulates them at cell membrane with low extracellular pH. The functional moiety conjugated with polypeptide terminus placed inside cell are translocated through the cell membrane in cytosol. The peptide and its variants or non-peptide analogs can be used to deliver therapeutic, prophylactic, diagnostic, imaging, gene regulation, cell regulation, or immunologic agents to or inside of cells in vitro or in vivo in tissue at low extracellular pH.

Abstract: A method for mass spectrometric analysis of a saliva sample possibly containing mycophenolic acid or its metabolites mycophenolic acid phenyl glucuronide (MPAG) or mycophenolic acid acyl-glucuronide (Acyl-MPAG), including the steps: (a) providing a saliva sample containing one or more drug or metabolites; (b) deproteinating the sample; (c) separating the one or more drug or metabolites from the saliva sample; and (d) analyzing the one or more drug or metabolites using a mass spectrometer. The sample containing one or more MPA or metabolites is obtained from in an oral fluid based biological samples i.e. whole saliva or saliva obtained by chemical or mechanical stimulation or from specific salivary glands. The size of the sample contains one or more MPA or metabolites is at least about 100 microL.

Abstract: A scalable processing system includes a memory device having a plurality of executable program instructions, wherein each of the executable program instructions includes a timetag data field indicative of the nominal sequential order of the associated executable program instructions. The system also includes a plurality of processing elements, which are configured and arranged to receive executable program instructions from the memory device, wherein each of the processing elements executes executable instructions having the highest priority as indicated by the state of the timetag data field.

Abstract: A thin film ceramic thermocouple (10) having two ceramic thermocouple (12, 14) that are in contact with each other in at least on point to form a junction, and wherein each element was prepared in a different oxygen/nitrogen/argon plasma. Since each element is prepared under different plasma conditions, they have different electrical conductivity and different charge carrier concentration. The thin film thermocouple (10) can be transparent. A versatile ceramic sensor system having an RTD heat flux sensor can be combined with a thermocouple and a strain sensor to yield a multifunctional ceramic sensor array. The transparent ceramic temperature sensor that could ultimately be used for calibration of optical sensors.

Abstract: A superalloy article which comprises a substrate comprised of a superalloy, a bond coat comprised of MCrAlY wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel and mixtures thereof applied onto at least a portion of the substrate and a ceramic top coat applied over at least a portion of the bond coat. The bond coat is exposed to a temperature of within the range of between about 1600-1800° F. subsequent to its application onto the substrate.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing continuous file protection in a computer processing system. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes a configuration module, a filter driver, and a storage module. The configuration module permits a user to elect certain files or folders for protection. The configuration module runs at an application layer without involving the computer processing system's operating system. The filter driver intercepts and splits write input and outputs addressed at protected files or folders. The storage module is also run without involving the computer processing system's operating system. The storage module is for performing functions including data logging, version managements, and data recovery.

Abstract: An antenna system is disclosed that provides a directional radiation field. The antenna system includes at least two monopole antennas, each of which provides a differential connector. Each differential connector is associated with a signal having a different phase such that a radiation field associated with said antenna system is other than a radiation field that would exist if each differential connector were associated with the signal having the same phase.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for detecting a voltage potential from a tissue membrane. The device includes an input circuit, an output circuit and a digital signal processor. The input circuit receives a membrane voltage potential from an electrode. The output circuit receives an output command signal and provides a current output signal to the electrode. The digital signal processor is coupled to the input circuit and the output circuit. The digital signal processor provides the output command signal, and waits a delay period prior to receiving the membrane voltage signal from the input circuit.

Abstract: A scalable processing system includes a memory device having a plurality of executable program instructions, wherein each of the executable program instructions includes a timetag data field indicative of the nominal sequential order of the associated executable program instructions. The system also includes a plurality of processing elements, which are configured and arranged to receive executable program instructions from the memory device, wherein each of the processing elements executes executable instructions having the highest priority as indicated by the state of the timetag data field.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of providing an optimal minimum mass topology for a structure based on a set of design criteria including at least one support point and at least one force to be applied to the structure. The method includes the steps of: identifying a plurality of nodes within a structure design domain, and assigning an initial density value to said plurality of nodes; conducting a finite element analysis on the nodes; determining one of a stress intensity or strain energy values for each node; ranking the nodes by relative stress intensity or strain energy values; adjusting the density value for each node; and repeating the steps of conducting a finite element analysis on said nodes, wherein the step of adjusting each density value for each node is performed according to a family of statistical distribution functions that gradually transition to a bimodal distribution wherein nodes are either fully dense or effectively void thereby providing an optimal topology.

Abstract: A ceramic strain gage based on reactively sputtered indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin films is used to monitor the structural integrity of components employed in aerospace propulsion systems operating at temperatures in excess of 1500° C. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the thick ITO sensors reveals a partially sintered microstructure comprising a contiguous network of submicron ITO particles with well defined necks and isolated nanoporosity. Densification of the ITO particles was retarded during high temperature exposure with nitrogen thus stabilizing the nanoporosity. ITO strain sensors were prepared by reactive sputtering in various nitrogen/oxygen/argon partial pressures to incorporate more nitrogen into the films. Under these conditions, sintering and densification of the ITO particles containing these nitrogen rich grain boundaries was retarded and a contiguous network of nano-sized ITO particles was established.

Abstract: A cache memory processing system is disclosed that is coupled to a main memory and a processing unit. The cache memory processing system includes an input, a low order bit data path, a high order bit data path and an output. The input is for receiving input data that includes at least one low order input bit and at least one high order input bit. The low order bit data path is for processing the at least one low order input bit and providing at least one low order output bit. The high order bit data path for processing the at least one high order input bit and providing at least one high order output bit. The high order bit data path includes at least one exclusive or gate. The output is for providing the at least one low order output bit and the at least one high order output bit.

Abstract: A SCSI-to-IP cache storage system interconnects a host computing device or a storage unit to a switched packet network. The cache storage system includes a SCSI interface (40) that facilitates system communications with a host computing device or the storage unit, and a Ethernet interface (42) that allows the system to receive data from and send data to the Internet. The cache storage system further comprises a processing unit (44) that includes a processor (46), a memory (48) and a log disk (52) configured as a sequential access device. The log disk (52) caches data along with the memory (48) resident in the processing unit (44), wherein the log disk (52) and the memory (48) are configured as a two-level hierarchical cache.

Abstract: A lithium ion battery electrolyte for use in lithium ion batteries. The electrolyte includes LiPF6, LiBF4, LiB(C2O4)2, or a related salt dissolved in a mixture of organic carbonate, ether or ester solvents with low concentrations of oxidatively unstable additives such that the additives react with a surface of cathode particles to generate a passivation film which prevents oxidation of the electrolyte by the cathode. The additive is a polymerizable organic molecule selected from 2,3-dihydrofuran (2,3-DHF), 2,5-dihydrofuran (2,5-DHF), vinylene carbonate (VC), vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS), dimethyl vinylene cabonate (DMVC), and gamma-buyrolactone, or related unsaturated ethers, esters, or carbonates.

Abstract: A thermal indicator material which comprises a plurality of polythiophenes having a second low temperature color and a high temperature color. The polythiophenes are structured and arranged to exhibit a color change from the second low temperature color to the high temperature color when the thermal indicator material is exposed to a temperature that meets or exceeds a pre-determined temperature and to exhibit a color change from the high temperature color to a first low temperature color when the thermal indicator material is exposed to a decline in temperature from a temperature that meets or exceeds the predetermined temperature to a temperature of within the range of between about 5 to 20° C. below the pre-determined temperature that occurs in a time period of greater than 2.0 seconds.

Abstract: A power measurement system is disclosed for use on an integrated circuit for measuring the power used by the integrated circuit. The power measurement system includes a low-dropout voltage regulator and a signal input unit. The low-dropout voltage regulator includes a power transistor that couples a supply voltage to a circuit to be powered by the supply voltage, and the low-dropout voltage regulator provides an internal adjustment signal (Vsen) for adjusting the internal resistance of the power transistor. The signal input unit receives the internal adjustment signal (Vsen) and provides a power measurement signal responsive to the internal adjustment signal (Vsen).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting unfair ratings in rating data over a period of time in connection with an on-line rating system. The method includes the steps of: detecting changes in an arrival rate of ratings in the rating data over the period of time and providing arrival rate change data; detecting changes in a model of the rating data over the period of time such that changes in the model are represented as model errors and providing model error data; detecting changes in a histogram of the rating data over the period of time and providing histogram detection data; detecting changes in a mean of the rating data over the period of time and providing mean change detection data; and processing the arrival rate change data, the model error data, the histogram detection data, and the mean change detection data to identify unfair ratings in the rating data.

Abstract: A biomedical sensor is disclosed that provides at least first and second electrical nodes for connection to medical equipment. The biomedical sensor includes a plurality of protruding electrodes that extend from a common base. At least one of the protruding electrodes is coupled to the first electrical node, and at least two of the protruding electrodes are coupled to the second electrical node. At least one of the plurality of protruding electrodes is adjustable in length such that each of the plurality of protruding electrodes is adapted to contact a non-planar surface of a subject.