Abstract: There is provided a topical formulation comprising a nucleophile, such as amino acids and most polypeptides and/or a derivative thereof, for use in the treatment or prevention of itchy dry skin caused by urea, such as in uremic pruritus, of a subject. The amino acid may be histidine and the derivative may be a histidine degradation product, a peptide of histidine, a peptide of histidine and one or more additional amino acids, and a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt of histidine.

Abstract: A method for dispatching input-output in a system. The system may include a centralized processing circuit, a plurality of persistent storage targets, a first input-output processor, and a second input-output processor. The method may include determining whether the first input-output processor is connected to a first target of the plurality of persistent storage targets; determining whether the second input-output processor is connected to the first target; and in response to determining that both the first input-output processor is connected to the first target, and the second input-output processor is connected to the first target, dispatching a first plurality of input-output requests, each to either the first input-output processor or the second input-output processor, the dispatching being in proportion to a service rate of the first input-output processor to the first target and a service rate of the second input-output processor to the first target, respectively.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delivering information as alerts. Alerts may be sent to one or more destinations at one or more times, with possible destinations including, e.g., one or more dedicated software clients, portable wireless devices, and/or email accounts, among many other possibilities. The sender may receive confirmation of, and/or may keep persistent records of, among several possibilities, transmission of one or more of the alerts, receipt of one or more of the alerts by devices at their respective destinations, and/or presentation of the alert to the intended recipient. According to an embodiment of the invention, an alert may be used to delivery medical information, which may include an urgent result of a medical test that has been performed on a patient.

Abstract: A system for performing auto-tiering is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of storage devices offering a plurality of resources and organized into storage tiers. The storage devices may store data for virtual machines. A receiver may receive I/O commands and performance data for the virtual machines. A transmitter may transmit responses to the I/O commands. An auto-tiering controller may select storage tiers to store the data for the virtual machines and may migrate data between storage tiers responsive to the performance data. The selection of the storage tiers may optimize the performance of all virtual machines across all storage tiers, factoring the change in performance of the virtual machines and a migration cost to migrate data between storage tiers.

Abstract: The compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of SSAO activity wherein V, W, X, Y, Z, R1 and R2 are as defined in the claims.

Abstract: A method of encoding fixed length data bit strings includes receiving and sequentially encoding a sequence of data bit strings, which comprises periodically updating a mask bit string and a tracking bit string, and for a data bit string: obtaining the mask bit string and the tracking bit string, obtaining a reference bit string, comparing the data bit string to the reference bit string for identifying bits that differ from corresponding bits in the reference bit string, generating a sequence of position indicators, determining, as unpredictable bits, all those bits in the data bit string that are indicated as not predictable by the mask bit string and that are not in bit positions indicated by the tracking bit string, and generating an encoded data packet that includes representations of values of the unpredictable bits and the sequence of position indicators. Sequentially decoding encoded data packets is also disclosed.

Abstract: Compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or N-oxide thereof, that are inhibitors of SSAO activity: where V, W, X, Y, Z, R1, and R3 are as defined herein.

Abstract: Social customer service and support systems integrated with social media and social networks are disclosed. More particularly, a social customer care platform system is disclosed to allow customer care functions, and in particular to allow customer service agents to identify, prioritize, match and triage customer support requests that may arise through a social network and may be serviced using a social network. It manages and tracks a high-volume of customer interactions and provides for monitoring of Internet social network posts relevant to a business's products or services along with the ability to capture, monitor, filter, make sense of and respond to, in near real-time, tens of thousands of social interactions.

Abstract: A leaf removal assembly including a frame comprising a front plate having a feed opening, a leaf stripping assembly mounted on said front plate in front of said feed opening and an upper sprocket wheel comprising a plurality of upper socket grippers extending radially outward of the upper sprocket wheel and being disposed behind the front plate. The leaf removal assembly further includes a lower sprocket wheel comprising a plurality of lower sprocket grippers extending radially outwardly of the lower sprocket wheel and being disposed behind the front plate. At least one of the upper sprocket wheel and the lower sprocket wheel may be adjustably attached to the frame. A process for separating a leaf from a stalk comprising at least one leaf is also included.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delivering information as alerts. Alerts may be sent to one or more destinations at one or more times, with possible destinations including, e.g., one or more dedicated software clients, portable wireless devices, and/or email accounts, among many other possibilities. The sender may receive confirmation of, and/or may keep persistent records of, among several possibilities, transmission of one or more of the alerts, receipt of one or more of the alerts by devices at their respective destinations, and/or presentation of the alert to the intended recipient. According to an embodiment of the invention, an alert may be used to delivery medical information, which may include an urgent result of a medical test that has been performed on a patient.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a valve and an actuator. The valve has a portion movably disposed within a valve pocket defined by a cylinder head of an engine. The valve is configured to move relative to the cylinder head a distance between a closed position and an opened position. The portion of the valve defines a flow opening that is in fluid communication with a cylinder of an engine when the valve is in the opened position. The actuator is configured to selectively vary the distance between the closed position and the opened position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to social customer service and support systems integrated with social media and social networks. More particularly, the invention provides a social customer care platform system to allow customer care functions, and in particular to allow customer service agents to identify, prioritize, match and triage customer support requests that may arise through a social network and may be serviced using a social network. It manages and tracks a high-volume of customer interactions and provides for monitoring of Internet social network posts relevant to a business's products or services along with the ability to capture, monitor, filter, make sense of and respond to, in near real-time, tens of thousands of social interactions.

Abstract: A glass laminate article having high efficiency heat transfer characteristics and related systems and methods are provided. The glass laminate article has a thin, high heat conductive inner glass layer that efficiently transfers heat from a heating system throughout the glass article. The glass laminate article may be used as a vehicle window and used as part of a heating system and method for defogging or defrosting the vehicle window. The glass laminate article may include a heating coating adjacent an outer glass layer which further improves heating efficiency.

Abstract: A craving control device comprising a housing, a craving input actuator supported by the housing, a wireless communicator supported by the housing, and a controller is provided. The craving input actuator can be configured to obtain information from a user pertaining to a timing, frequency, or intensity of a craving. The controller can be operatively connected to the craving input actuator and the wireless communicator to communicate craving information received by the craving input actuator via the wireless communicator to a device external to the housing. The device external to the housing can be a personal communication device. The housing can be sized and configured to be enclosed in the user's hand and or to be placed in a pocket of the user's clothing. Methods for using the craving control devices are also provided.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed in which a source material delivery system can be reoriented so that the path of the source material is not directly towards an irradiation region in operating conditions in which the path is expected to be unpredictable. A shroud provided to protect the flow of source material from being disrupted is segmented so with one part of the shroud being movable with respect to another part of the shroud so that the movable part can avoid interfering with the path of the source material when it is not directly towards the irradiation region.

Abstract: A method for moving a virtual object includes displaying a virtual object and moving the virtual object based on a user input. Based on the user input attempting to move the virtual object in violation of an obstacle, displaying a collision indicator and an input indicator. The collision indicator is moved based on user input and movement constraints imposed by the obstacle. The input indicator is moved based on user input without movement constraints imposed by the obstacle.

Abstract: In a method of producing symmetrical carbon fiber reinforced composite parts, a plurality of sheets of fibrous material configured as a single structure are positioned on a tool surface where the single structure is comprised of a first composite part joined to a symmetric, second composite part. The single structure is infused with resin and cured on the tool surface, producing a single cured structure comprised of a first cured composite part joined to a second cured composite part. The single cured structure is then divided along a dividing plane, producing the symmetric first cured composite part and second cured composite part.