Abstract: A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate apertures of ultrasound arrays. Some embodiments provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound probes having continuous arrays of ultrasound transducers which may have a substantially continuous concave curved shape in two or three dimensions (i.e., concave relative to an object to be imaged). Other embodiments herein provide systems and methods for designing, building and using ultrasound imaging probes having other unique configurations, such as adjustable probes and probes with variable configurations.

Abstract: A Multiple Aperture Ultrasound Imaging (MAUI) probe or transducer is uniquely capable of simultaneous imaging of a region of interest from separate physical apertures. Construction of probes can vary by medical application. That is, a general radiology probe can contain multiple transducers that maintain separate physical points of contact with the patient's skin, allowing multiple physical apertures. A cardiac probe may contain only two transmitters and receivers where the probe fits simultaneously between two or more intracostal spaces. An intracavity version of the probe can space transmit and receive transducers along the length of the wand, while an intravenous version can allow transducers to be located on the distal length the catheter and separated by mere millimeters. Algorithms can solve for variations in tissue speed of sound, thus allowing the probe apparatus to be used virtually anywhere in or on the body.

Abstract: A memory system and a method for managing the system is described. The system is configured such a plurality of system controllers, which may be RAID controllers, receive requests from the external environment and distribute the requests to a plurality of memory modules such that data may be stored in the memory modules. A global sequence number is assigned to the data of a data stripe so that the operations related to the data stripe are performed in an ordered manner so that the data remains consistent. A plurality of system controllers may comprise a domain and access a plurality of memory controllers and a plurality of domains may include at least one common memory module. A plurality of groups of controllers may communicate with a switch or with a representative controller so as to coordinate the assignment of global sequence numbers.

Abstract: The effective aperture of an ultrasound imaging probe can be increased by including more than one transducer array and using the transducer elements of all of the arrays to render an image can greatly improve the lateral resolution of the generated image. In order to render an image, the relative positions of all of the elements must be known precisely. Systems and methods for accurately calibrating and adjusting a multi-aperture ultrasound system are disclosed. The relative positions of the transducer elements can be computed and aligned prior to and during probe assembly.

Abstract: An IC device (100) includes an IC body (106) having a base layer (108) and first and second upper layers (114, 116) on the base layer. The IC body includes a cavity region (104) extending through said base and first upper layers and at least a portion of said second upper layer. In the IC device, a portion of said second upper layer in the cavity region comprises a planar inductive element (102) having first and second contacting ends (140, 142). In the IC device, at least one support member (128, 130, 132) extends at least partially into said cavity region from said IC body in at least a first direction parallel to said base layer and intersects at least a portion of said planar inductive element.

Abstract: An spiral inductor (300) formed on a semiconductor substrate (102). One or more insulating layers (104, 303) is disposed on a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. A spiral structure (106) is formed of a first conductive material layer disposed on the insulating layer. The spiral structure has a terminal end (105) at a location enclosed by one or more coils of the spiral. A ground plane (302) is formed of a second conductive material and disposed on a second surface located on a side of the substrate opposed from the first surface. The ground plane is defected so as to define a signal trace (308) formed from a portion of the ground plane. A conductive via (304) extends through the one or more insulating layers, and through the semiconductor substrate, to form an electrical connection between the ground plane and the terminal end.

Abstract: A method for constructing a radio frequency filter (100) includes depositing on a dielectric substrate (102) a plurality of layers of a conductive material (210, 216, 218, 220, 222), a dielectric material (217), and a sacrificial material (1200, 1500, 1700, 1900). The deposition is controlled to form at least one transmission line (104, 106, 108) including a shield (202) and a center conductor (204) disposed coaxially within the shield. The deposition is further controlled to form at least one distributed filter element electrically coupled to the center conductor (204), and at least one housing (402) electrically coupled to the shield. The method also includes dissolving at least one layer of the sacrificial material to form an interior channel (226) within at least one shield. The dissolving of the sacrificial material also results in the formation of a interior space within at least one housing containing the distributed filter element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic green tea derived polyphenolic compounds, their modes of syntheses, and their use in inhibiting proteasomal activity and in treating cancers. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions useful in methods of inhibiting proteasomes and of treating cancers.

Abstract: A method is for making an electrical inductor. The method includes forming a first subunit having a sacrificial substrate, and an electrically conductive layer defining the electrical inductor and including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate. The method includes forming a second subunit having a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon defining electrical inductor terminals and having the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one of the first and second subunits. The method includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic green tea derived polyphenolic compounds, their modes of syntheses, and their use in inhibiting proteasomal activity and in treating cancers. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions useful in methods of inhibiting proteasomes and of treating cancers.

Abstract: Increasing the effective aperture of an ultrasound imaging probe by including more than one probe head and using the elements of all of the probes to render an image can greatly improve the lateral resolution of the generated image. In order to render an image, the relative positions of all of the elements must be known precisely. A calibration fixture is described in which the probe assembly to be calibrated is placed above a test block and transmits ultrasonic pulses through the test block to an ultrasonic sensor. As the ultrasonic pulses are transmitted though some or all of the elements in the probe to be tested, the differential transit times of arrival of the waveform are measured precisely. From these measurements the relative positions of the probe elements can be computed and the probe can be aligned.

Abstract: A method is for making an electrical inductor. The method includes forming a first subunit having a sacrificial substrate, and an electrically conductive layer defining the electrical inductor and including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate. The method includes forming a second subunit having a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon defining electrical inductor terminals and having the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one of the first and second subunits. The method includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate.

Abstract: A communication plate extends along and is sandwiched between cylindrical communication manifolds of a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly. The communication plate includes a saddling surface arcuate in one direction and a saddling surface arcuate in the opposite direction for engaging in saddle-like fashion the cylindrical shape of the manifolds. The communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed along the communication plate and aligned co-axial with a plurality of communication orifices disposed along the manifolds to seal the communication orifices of the manifolds and establish distributed and sealed fluid communication between the heat exchanger assemblies.

Abstract: A communication plate extends along and is sandwiched between cylindrical communication manifolds of a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly. The communication plate includes a saddling surface arcuate in one direction and a saddling surface arcuate in the opposite direction for engaging in saddle-like fashion the cylindrical shape of the manifolds. The communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed along the communication plate and aligned co-axial with a plurality of communication orifices disposed along the manifolds to seal the communication orifices of the manifolds and establish distributed and sealed fluid communication between the heat exchanger assemblies.

Abstract: Systems and methods of M-mode ultrasound imaging allows for M-mode imaging along user-defined paths. In various embodiments, the user-defined path can be a non-linear path or a curved path. In some embodiments, a system for M-mode ultrasound imaging can comprise a multi-aperture probe with at least a first transmitting aperture and a second receiving aperture. The receiving aperture can be separate from the transmitting aperture. In some embodiments, the transmitting aperture can be configured to transmit an unfocused, spherical, ultrasound ping signal into a region of interest. The user-defined path can define a structure of interest within the region of interest.

Abstract: A vehicle ordering system that recommends to a vehicle dealership a vehicle to order from a vehicle manufacturer based on past sales (at various sales time periods and taking into account sales at the dealership level versus sales at the district and/or region level), current inventory (including in stock and in route), anticipated but not yet finalized orders, dealership size and calculated metrics derived from and using those elements.

Abstract: Increasing the effective aperture of an ultrasound imaging probe by including more than one probe head and using the elements of all of the probes to render an image can greatly improve the lateral resolution of the generated image. In order to render an image, the relative positions of all of the elements must be known precisely. A calibration fixture is described in which the probe assembly to be calibrated is placed above a test block and transmits ultrasonic pulses through the test block to an ultrasonic sensor. As the ultrasonic pulses are transmitted though some or all of the elements in the probe to be tested, the differential transit times of arrival of the waveform are measured precisely. From these measurements the relative positions of the probe elements can be computed and the probe can be aligned.

Abstract: A communication plate extends along and is sandwiched between cylindrical communication manifolds of a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly. The communication plate includes a saddling surface arcuate in one direction and a saddling surface arcuate in the opposite direction for engaging in saddle-like fashion the cylindrical shape of the manifolds. The communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed along the communication plate and aligned co-axial with a plurality of communication orifices disposed along the manifolds to seal the communication orifices of the manifolds and establish distributed and sealed fluid communication between the heat exchanger assemblies.

Abstract: A method of full-field or “ping-based” Doppler ultrasound imaging allows for detection of Doppler signals indicating moving reflectors at any point in an imaging field without the need to pre-define range gates. In various embodiments, such whole-field Doppler imaging methods may include transmitting a Doppler ping from a transmit aperture, receiving echoes of the Doppler ping with one or more separate receive apertures, detecting Doppler signals and determining the speed of moving reflectors. In some embodiments, the system also provides the ability to determine the direction of motion by solving a set of simultaneous equations based on echo data received by multiple receive apertures.

Abstract: An spiral inductor (300) formed on a semiconductor substrate (102). One or more insulating layers (104, 303) is disposed on a first surface of the semiconductor substrate. A spiral structure (106) is formed of a first conductive material layer disposed on the insulating layer. The spiral structure has a terminal end (105) at a location enclosed by one or more coils of the spiral. A ground plane (302) is formed of a second conductive material and disposed on a second surface located on a side of the substrate opposed from the first surface. The ground plane is defected so as to define a signal trace (308) formed from a portion of the ground plane. A conductive via (304) extends through the one or more insulating layers, and through the semiconductor substrate, to form an electrical connection between the ground plane and the terminal end.