Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting combinations of pickups on a guitar or other stringed instrument allows a performer to control the pickup selections without interrupting instrument play. Combinations of pickups are selected by a processor according to measurements of orientation, position, and/or rate of movement made by an accelerometer. The accelerometer measurements can be filtered. Any or all elements of the system can be contained in a hollow space within the instrument. A manual control can be included to override the processor. Pickup combinations and/or accelerometer measurement ranges can be specified by manual controls while in a training mode. In a sequential mode, pickup combinations are selected in a preset order and for preset time periods. The accelerometer sampling rate can be between 1000 and 100 samples per second, and the sampled data can be stored in an 11 by 11 array.

Abstract: Provided are efficient, cost-effective and water tolerant methods (e.g., single-vial methods) for preparing fatty acid esters from organic matter, including: obtaining organic matter having at least one fat substituent, contacting the organic matter in a reaction mixture with a basic solution under conditions suitable to provide for hydrolytic release of monomeric fatty acids from the at least one fat substituent to provide a base-treated reaction mixture, and esterifying the monomeric fatty acids of the base-treated reaction mixture by acidification of the reaction mixture and treating in the presence of an organic alcohol to provide fatty acid esters. The methods optionally further include, prior to esterifying, neutralizing the base-treated reaction mixture to provide for neutralized fatty acids, separating the neutralized fatty acids from the neutralized reaction mixture, and dissolving the separated fatty acids in the esterification reaction mixture.

Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for mini-form view of data records are described. Each data records can be formatted according to a layout. The layout can define an arrangement of various data fields for display. To display multiple data records, an image can be created for each formatted data record. Each image can be a snapshot of the formatted data record. The image can have a size that is smaller than the size of the layout. The arrangement of the data fields can be preserved in the image. Multiple images of formatted data records can be displayed in a single window. By displaying formatted data records in images, the “look and feel” in the layout of each data record can be preserved, even when multiple records are displayed. The mini-form view can display data records from multiple shared databases.

Abstract: The present invention provides tissue products having increased CD stretch, which may be manufactured using a process in which the nascent web is subjected to two distinct rush transfers. The first rush transfer occurs when the web is transferred from the forming fabric to the transfer fabric, i.e., the “first position,” and the second occurs when the web is transferred from the transfer fabric to the through-air drying fabric (TAD) fabric, i.e., the “second position.” The overall speed differential between the forming fabric and the TAD fabric may be, for example, from about 10 to about 50 percent, with the amount of rush transfer being divided between the first and second position in a manner sufficient to achieve the desired CD stretch and other sheet properties.

Abstract: A bone fixation device is provided with an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and having a first state in which at least a portion of the body is flexible and a second state in which the body is generally rigid, an actuateable gripper disposed at one or more locations on the elongated body, a hub located on a proximal end of the elongated body, and an actuator operably connected to the gripper(s) to deploy the gripper(s) from a retracted configuration to an expanded configuration. Methods of repairing a fracture of a bone are also disclosed. One such method comprises inserting a bone fixation device into an intramedullary space of the bone to place at least a portion of an elongate body of the fixation device in a flexible state on one side of the fracture and at least a portion of a hub on another side of the fracture, and operating an actuator to deploy at least one gripper of the fixation device to engage an inner surface of the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone.

Abstract: A source virtual machine (VM) hosted on a source server is migrated to a destination VM on a destination server without first powering down the source VM. After optional pre-copying of the source VM's memory to the destination VM, the source VM is suspended and its non-memory state is transferred to the destination VM; the destination VM is then resumed from the transferred state. The source VM memory is either paged into the destination VM on demand, or is transferred asynchronously by pre-copying and write-protecting the source VM memory, and then later transferring only the modified pages after the destination VM is resumed. The source and destination servers preferably share common storage, in which the source VM's virtual disk is stored; this avoids the need to transfer the virtual disk contents.

Abstract: A system for monitoring ingestion of medicine (21) comprises forming a digestible radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (10). The RFID tag is attached to the medicine. The RFID tag and medicine are ingested. A signal from the RFID tag is monitored.

Abstract: Provided herein are synergistic herbicidal compositions containing and methods utilizing (a) a compound of formula (I): or an agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof and (b) an ACCase inhibitors, including. e.g., clethodim, clodinafop-propargyl, cyhalofop-R-butyl, diclofop-methyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop-P-butyl, haloxyfop-R-methyl, metamifop, pinoxaden, profoxydim, quizalofop-P-ethyl, sethoxydim and tralkoxydim, provide synergistic weed control of undesirable vegetation in rice, cereals, wheat, barley, oats, rye, sorghum, corn/maize, sugarcane, sunflower, oilseed rape, canola, sugar beet, soybean, cotton, pineapple, pastures, grasslands, rangelands, fallowland, turf, tree and vine orchards, aquatics, plantation crops, vegetables, industrial vegetation management (IVM) or rights of way (ROW).

Abstract: Trajectory-based games of chance are described that may be implemented on a video gaming machine. In a trajectory-based game of chance, a trajectory of a game object may be generated in a 3-D gaming environment. A wager may be made on an aspect of the game object's trajectory in the gaming environment such as a termination location for the trajectory of the game object. The aspect of the game object's trajectory may occur according to a known probability. Hence, an award for the trajectory-based game of chance may be proportional to the probability of the aspect of the game object's trajectory occurring.

Abstract: Computer-based methods and systems for streaming, and presenting, digital media data are presented. In some embodiments, a media server is configured to intelligently stream, or resume the streaming, of digital media data, representing a media item, based in part on device attributes of the media player device on which the media item is to be presented, as well as historical information about a user's prior viewing sessions, and location information indicating the current location of one or more media player devices of the user. Additionally, in some embodiments, the media server is configured to leverage multiple devices, when the devices are in proximity of one another, for example, by providing a control interface on a first device, that enables control of play back functions for media data being streamed to and presented on a second device.

Abstract: Methods of isoprenoid production are provided by the present invention. In particular, transgenic Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 cyanobacteria and methods for producing isoprene and pinene using a host transgenic Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 cyanobacterium are provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for validating a system include reading protected record data for a section of the system from a secure storage element, and verifying integrity of the section of the system using the record data. The secure storage element independently verifies that all record data and data to be written to the system is valid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for the eradication of bacterial infections. In particular, methods and compositions are disclosed for the eradication of persister and slow growing bacterial cell populations. In particular embodiments, the methods and compositions disclosed herein are useful for eradication of biofilms.

Abstract: A computer system and computer-implemented method are provided for management of employee leave and absence policies. The system is configured to receive data related to an employee leave claim at a single point of contact. The single point of contact may be implemented as a single address for leave issues related to any type of leave, including for example for employment-related injuries compensated through workers compensation, short term disability, long-term disability, and other types of leave. The system may be configured to provide prompts to a user for claims relating to multiple types of leave. The system may be configured to furnish data to separate computer systems for administration of multiple types of leave. The system may be configured to provide communications related to employee leave claims between separate computer systems responsive to receipt of data from one or more of the computer systems.

Abstract: Actuating a semiconductor device includes providing a transistor that includes a substrate and a first electrically conductive material layer, including a reentrant profile, positioned on the substrate. An electrically insulating material layer is conformally positioned over the first electrically conductive material layer and at least a portion of the substrate. A semiconductor material layer conforms to and is in contact with the electrically insulating material layer. A second electrically conductive material layer and third electrically conductive material layer are nonconformally positioned over and in contact with a first portion of the semiconductor material layer and a second portion of the semiconductor material layer, respectively.

Abstract: An air cleaner arrangement is shown. The air cleaner arrangement includes a serviceable filter cartridge comprising strips of media arranged in a stacked configuration. The strips of media each comprise a corrugated sheet secured to a facing sheet. A preferred filter cartridge positioned within the air cleaner arrangement, is depicted.

Abstract: A waste heat recovery system for use with an engine. The waste heat recovery system receives heat input from both an exhaust gas recovery system and exhaust gas streams. The system includes a first loop and a second loop. The first loop is configured to receive heat from both the exhaust gas recovery system and the exhaust system as necessary. The second loop receives heat from the first loop and the exhaust gas recovery system. The second loop converts the heat energy into electrical energy through the use of a turbine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying a medical model of a physical system is disclosed. One disclosed system includes a graphical user interface configured to display at least one parameter associated with the medical model and receive a modification of the at least one parameter. The system also includes a processor configured to receive the modification of the at least one parameter from the graphical user interface and execute a simulation of a part of the medical model including the modification of the at least one parameter.

Abstract: An optical transceiver configured to perform filtering of digital diagnostics prior to the filtered results being made accessible to a host computing system (hereinafter referred to simply as a “host”) that is communicatively coupled to the optical transceiver. The optical transceiver includes sensor(s) that measures analog operational parameter signals such as temperature and supply voltage. The analog signals are each converted to a plurality of digital samples by analog to digital converter(s). A processor executes microcode that causes the optical transceiver to perform filtering on the various samples. The optical transceiver may then make the filtered result accessible to the host.