Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for accessing and manipulating data in a data flow graph. A data flow graph includes one more transforms for transforming data from one or more data stores into different formats accessible to clients. Transforms can be configured to join and split data from the same or different data stores. A metadata tree logically represents the data flow graph including locations that provide output from transforms of the data flow graph. The locations can be referenced by clients to access transformed outputs. Clients can register dependencies on data at various locations and can request evaluation of the data in response to data changes at a corresponding data store. Clients can also request data changes be propagated back through the data flow graph to one or more data stores and implemented at the one or more data stores.

Abstract: New compounds useful in photodynamic therapy are of the formula and their 1,4-diene isomers and the metallated and/or labeled and/or conjugated forms thereof wherein each R1 is independently alkyl(1-6C); each n is independently an integer of 0-6; and R2 is vinyl or a derivative form thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.

Abstract: It has been discovered that photodynamic therapy (PDT) can stimulate an increase in hair count numbers and restore hair growth in areas of hair loss. A method according to the present invention comprises: a) administering an effective and/or sufficient amount of a photosensitizer to the target skin; b) irradiating the target skin with energy comprising one or more wavelength capable of activating said photosensitizer for a time period sufficient to activate the photosensitizer, wherein there is an increase in hair count numbers in the treated area. In one aspect of the present invention, there is a 2% or more increase in the number of terminal hairs within 3 months.

Abstract: The present invention comprises phasing systems and methods for software systems. In embodiments of the present invention, the phasing system comprises a multi-tiered phasing space where operations within the software system are constrained to a phase or a sub-phase. The operations execute only in the specified phase. Thus, operations that could yield improper results in large and complex software systems do not execute simultaneously but follow a certain order. The present invention also provides a data structure to introduce the phase constraints as software attributes into the software code.

Abstract: A method and system for maintaining isolated data in an application is disclosed which data to be selectively isolated until a data client orders the changes to be committed or abandoned. A computer-readable medium for constructing an application capable of localized data isolation is also disclosed. An application specification is used to determine which data entities should be isolated, and one or more transaction transforms are implemented for each data entity to be isolated.

Abstract: The invention provides a vapor dispersing device having a frangible ampoule containing a volatizable material and a jacket around the ampoule for transferring the volatizable material to an evaporative pad. The jacket may include an extension serving as a wick between the ampoule and the evaporative pad. A portion of the device housing is movable to rupture the ampoule to initiate the transfer of the volatizable material.

Abstract: A multiple party system for distributing content. In one embodiment, four parties are involved in the system: a consumer, a service provider, an authenticator, and a content provider. The distribution of content from the content provider to the consumer is carried out using a predefined protocol, mutating IDs, and licenses. The authenticator controls the distribution of mutating IDs and verifies the identity of one or more participating parties.

Abstract: A passive vapor dispersing device which may be used for freshening or otherwise treating the air, characterized by both rapid and substantially linear delivery of volatizable fragrance or other materials. The device uses a packaged combination of liquid reservoir, wick and emanator which is assembled and shipped with the wick and emanator out of contact with each other, but is activated when the user opens the package and places the wick and emanator in contact. The housing for the device provides guide means for assisting the user in placing the wick and emanator in proper contact, and irreversible lock means for holding the components in contact and preventing access to the wick and emanator once activation has been achieved.

Abstract: Immuno-adjuvant photodynamic therapy to treat and prevent metastatic cancer is effected using photosensitizers in combination with immuno-adjuvants to destroy metastatic tumor cells.

Abstract: New compounds useful in photodynamic therapy are of the formula and their 1,4-diene isomers and the metallated and/or labeled and/or conjugated forms thereof wherein each R1 is independently alkyl (1-6C); each n is independently an integer of 0-6; and R2 is vinyl or a derivative form thereof.

Abstract: A self-wringing ratchet mop including an elongated handle, a mop head having mop strands supported on the handle, and a wringing mechanism for wringing the mop strands. The wringing mechanism includes a sleeve attached to the mop strands and supported for longitudinal and rotational movement relative to the handle. The handle includes a first ratchet portion formed by teeth and the sleeve includes a second ratchet portion formed by pawl members for engaging the first ratchet portion to permit the sleeve to rotate in a first direction and prevent rotation in a second, opposite direction. The pawl members are supported on a deformable resilient ring wherein deformation of the ring causes the pawl members to disengage from the first ratchet portion and permit rotation of the sleeve in the second direction.

Abstract: A software update system is disclosed, together with a corresponding method. These comprise a server holding a database, a client software, and a communications medium to allow the client and server to communicate, the database including, for a plurality of software titles, a title identifier, a version identifier for that title, and a patch location, the client being adapted to use the title identifier to locate a software title resident on a computer system hosting the client, to use the version identifier to identify the present update level of that title, and to use the patch location to allow the download of a patch for that title. It is preferred that the title identifier includes the file name of an executable file associated with the software title, and also that the version identifier includes at least one of the version number, the byte size of an executable file associated with the software title, and the version details encoded in the file properties of the executable file.

Abstract: A self-wringing ratchet mop including an elongated handle, a mop head having mop strands supported on the handle, and a wringing mechanism for wringing the mop strands. The wringing mechanism includes a sleeve attached to the mop strands and supported for longitudinal and rotational movement relative to the handle. The handle includes a first ratchet portion formed by teeth and the sleeve includes a second ratchet portion formed by pawl members for engaging the first ratchet portion to permit the sleeve to rotate in a first direction and prevent rotation in a second, opposite direction. The pawl members are supported on a deformable resilient ring wherein deformation of the ring causes the pawl members to disengage from the first ratchet portion and permit rotation of the sleeve in the second direction.

Abstract: A mop including a mop handle and a mop head located at one end of the handle and including a plurality of flexible strands defining a mop body. A sleeve is positioned on the mop handle and is supported for slidable movement in an axial direction parallel to the handle, and is further supported for rotatable movement relative to the handle. A lower end of the sleeve is provided with engagement portions defined by slots for engaging and gripping the strands of the mop body to facilitate twisting of the mop body by the sleeve. In addition, a ratchet and pawl mechanism is provided by cooperating portions of the mop body and sleeve to limit rotation of the sleeve to a single direction during a wringing operation.

Abstract: Full surface maps of slope and height are determined for the surface of a highly smooth surface such as a silicon wafer, by an apparatus which includes a light source for creating a light beam and scanning and wafer transport systems which cause the incident beam to be scanned over the full surface of the wafer. A quad cell light detector is positioned to receive the beam specularly reflected from the wafer surface, the quad cell detector having four cells arranged in quadrants with each cell providing an electrical signal indicative of the amount of light received by the cell. A processor is programmed to calculate changes in spot location on the detector based on the signals from the cells, and to calculate changes in surface slopes based on the changes in spot location. Full maps of X- and Y-slope are produced, and a line integration algorithm is used for calculating full surface height maps. Regions of surface height gradient exceeding a threshold are flagged as defects by the processor.