Abstract: Disclosed is a suturing device comprising a lower jaw rigidly attached to an elongated suturing device body, an upper jaw mobile with respect to the lower jaw, and an activation mechanism for actuating movement of the upper jaw, wherein each jaw comprises at least two apertures or channels within the lower jaw configured and dimensioned to allow a suture thread to pass through. Also disclosed is a suturing device comprising an elongated drive shaft, a handle assembly comprising a tubular handle body, at least one movable element connected to the drive shaft, and an activation mechanism comprising an rotatable activation knob for actuating movement of the at least one movable element. A suturing device combining the above-described jaw elements and activation mechanism is additionally provided. Further, kits comprising disclosed devices and surgical methods utilizing the same are also provided.

Abstract: Load balancing in a multimedia conference is disclosed, involving one or more internal terminals (Terminal 3) and one or more internal nodes (Node B) separated from one or more external terminals (Terminal 1, Terminal 2) and one or more external nodes (Node A) by a firewall. Media data from at least one of said terminals received at at least a first one of said nodes are forwarded through the firewall to at least a second one of the nodes, and received media data at the at least a second one of said nodes are processed by the second one of the nodes. At a first event, reconfiguration is performed of said first one of said nodes to process received media data and of said second one of said nodes to forward received media data to said first one of said nodes. At a second event, loading is done of at least a part of said received media data being processed at the first one or second one of said nodes to at least a third one of said nodes.

Abstract: A phased array ultrasonic probe may be mounted to a component to be inspected for wall thickness on an apparatus that includes a split ring adapted to be magnetically held in place on the component. In particular, the probe may be mounted to a carriage connected to the split ring in a manner that allows the carriage to rotate around the split ring while the probe is in operation. Between the probe and the component, a transducer shoe defining, by a flexible membrane, a cavity and an aperture. Conveniently, the construction of the flexible membrane allows wall thickness measurements to be acquired in portions of the component that have complex topography, such as welds. The apparatus is installed on an adaptor assembly for inspection of straight section of pipes. This adaptor assembly is not used in absence of straight section.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for generating a lease-purchase agreement including a non-transitory computer-readable medium with software instructions a processor configured to execute the software instructions to cause the system to couple to a front end client including a customer interface including an approval and order session, to process a customer application by verifying a customer in the approval session, and switching to the order session to enable an approved customer to select a good, review an estimate, select a payment option, and order a good. The customer can review an initial and monthly payment, optionally select a user-definable early purchase option payment amount if applicable, and sign a lease agreement generated by the system. The front end client can be a web coupled device, where the approval and order sessions transmit over the Internet, or a kiosk device that displays the approval and order sessions.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing a scheme to apply commercial web search technologies to biometric matching and identification based on converting biometric identification data to one or more text strings. Collected biometric identification information regarding particular physical traits is converted to a form that facilitates application of commercial Web search technologies to implement biometric matching and identification. A scalability of multi-modal biometric identification systems is maintained while substantially eliminating reliance on proprietary matchers and templates in support of interoperability and customer satisfaction. Separate biometric templates are converted into strings of searchable text in any combination of alpha-numerics during a standard biometric data enrollment process in order to limit the data storage requirements and streamline the later undertaken comparison process.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing a scheme to apply commercial web search technologies to biometric matching and identification based on converting biometric identification data to one or more text strings. Collected biometric identification information regarding particular physical traits is converted to a form that facilitates application of commercial Web search technologies to implement biometric matching and identification. A scalability of multi-modal biometric identification systems is maintained while substantially eliminating reliance on proprietary matchers and templates in support of interoperability and customer satisfaction. Separate biometric templates are converted into strings of searchable text in any combination of alpha-numerics during a standard biometric data enrollment process in order to limit the data storage requirements and streamline the later undertaken comparison process.

Abstract: A phased array ultrasonic probe may be mounted to a component to be inspected for wall thickness on an apparatus that includes a split ring adapted to be magnetically held in place on the component. In particular, the probe may be mounted to a carriage connected to the split ring in a manner that allows the carriage to rotate around the split ring while the probe is in operation. Between the probe and the component, a transducer shoe defining, by a flexible membrane, a cavity and an aperture. Conveniently, the construction of the flexible membrane allows wall thickness measurements to be acquired in portions of the component that have complex topography, such as welds. The apparatus is installed on an adaptor assembly for inspection of straight section of pipes. This adaptor assembly is not used in absence of straight section.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a handle or gripping device used for small household items such as a toothbrush, cooking and eating utensils, and other similarly sized items, specifically handles or grippers that provide an enlarged gripping surface for the item being held to make holding such item more comfortable for a person with an impaired ability to hold such items, and a method for using the same.

Abstract: This invention relates to a transition metal catalyst compound represented by the formula: LMX2 or (LMX2)2 wherein each M is independently a Group 7 to 11 metal, preferably a Group 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal; each L is, independently, a tridentate or tetradentate neutrally charged ligand that is bonded to M by three or four nitrogen atoms, (where at least one of the nitrogen atoms is a central nitrogen atom and at least two of the nitrogen atoms are terminal nitrogen atoms), and at least two terminal nitrogen atoms are substituted with one C3-C50 hydrocarbyl and one hydrogen atom or two hydrocarbyls wherein at least one hydrocarbyl is a C3-C50 hydrocarbyl, and the central nitrogen atom is bonded to three different carbon atoms or two different carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom; X is independently a monoanionic ligand, or two X may join together to form a bidentate dianionic ligand.

Abstract: At present there's no universally adopted Handheld Portable Oyster Opener available to consumers. The Oyster Opener described herein is simple, quick and ultra-safe to operate. It's lightweight, robust, inexpensive, portable and handheld. It can be leveled in use to prevent unwanted loss of Oyster Liquor. This caulk gun style Oyster Opener can be easily carried and used by anyone regardless of their strength or dexterity. It can be used at home and passed around at outings for the safe, simple opening of oysters, large or small. Its intuitive ergonomic design and the synergistic integration of its lightweight functional elements allow a user to rapidly load, ideally position, firmly secure and effectively leverage an oyster open in a safe, regulated and controllably nuanced manner while keeping the oyster level. It allows the cutting of adductor muscles and removal of the top shell while an oyster is in the device.

Abstract: At present there's no universally adopted Handheld Portable Oyster Opener available to consumers. The Oyster Opener described herein is simple, quick and ultra-safe to operate. It's lightweight, robust, inexpensive, portable and handheld. It can be leveled in use to prevent unwanted loss of Oyster Liquor. This caulk gun style Oyster Opener can be easily carried and used by anyone regardless of their strength or dexterity. It can be used at home and passed around at outings for the safe, simple opening of oysters, large or small. Its intuitive ergonomic design and the synergistic integration of its lightweight functional elements allow a user to rapidly load, ideally position, firmly secure and effectively leverage an oyster open in a safe, regulated and controllably nuanced manner while keeping the oyster level. It allows the cutting of adductor muscles and removal of the top shell while an oyster is in the device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for testing failure rate of newly installed network elements within a predetermined amount of time prior to customer use of the network elements are provided. An order report including information regarding one or more network elements is accessed, and based on the information provided by the orders report, a network element from the one or more network elements to be tested is determined. Information regarding the network element to be tested is retrieved from the orders report and included on a ticket created for the network element to be tested. The ticket created for the network element is then forwarded to a test device for testing of the network element associated with the forwarded ticket.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for cross-domain mapping between a business process modeler domain and an implementation domain are provided. The method includes accessing a business concept registry on a data storage device including business concepts with mapping for the business process modeler domain and the implementation domain. The method also includes creating a model with one or more of the business concepts interconnected to represent a business process in the business process modeler domain, and exporting the model from the business process modeler domain to the implementation domain according to the business concept mapping of the business concept registry.

Abstract: This invention relates to catalyst compounds, catalysts systems and methods to oligomerize or polymerize monomers where the catalyst compound and the catalyst system comprise compounds of formula: LMX2 or (LMX2)2 wherein: M is a Group 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 transition metal; L is a tridentate or tetradentate neutrally charged ligand that is bonded to M by at least three nitrogen atoms; at least one of the nitrogen atoms is a central non-pyridinal nitrogen atom and is not bonded to its adjacent atoms by a multibond; at least two of the nitrogen atoms are terminal nitrogen atoms; at least one terminal nitrogen atom is part of a pyridinyl ring; at least one other terminal nitrogen atom is substituted with at least one C3-C50 hydrocarbyl or halobydrocarbyl; the central nitrogen atom is bonded to at least two different carbon atoms; and each X is an anionic monodentate ligand.

Abstract: A system for identifying and evaluating brand integration opportunities within scripted entertainment includes a script parser, an evaluation component, and a portfolio optimization component. The script parser receives at least one portion of a script and identifies a brand integration opportunity within the received at least one portion of the script. The evaluation component receives the at least one portion of the script and predicts a level of success of a production including the at least one portion of the script. The portfolio optimization component generates a portfolio including an identification of the script, responsive to the generated prediction of the level of success and the identified brand integration opportunity.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting optical defects on a surface of a transparent or semi-transparent structure, tube or article is provided. Defects are identified and analyzed by using a digital camera to capture an image of a target having a pattern of light and dark areas through a portion of the article. The images are processed to enhance the visibility of the defects, and the distribution of the defects as function of their location on the surface of the article is determined. This determination is used as part of a statistical process control method for controlling the level of defects present on the surface of the article.

Abstract: This invention relates to a transition metal catalyst compound represented by the formula: LMX2 or (LMX2)2 wherein each M is independently a Group 7 to 11 metal, preferably a Group 7, 8, 9, or 10 metal; each L is, independently, a tridentate or tetradentate neutrally charged ligand that is bonded to M by three or four nitrogen atoms, (where at least one of the nitrogen atoms is a central nitrogen atom and at least two of the nitrogen atoms are terminal nitrogen atoms), and at least two terminal nitrogen atoms are substituted with one C3-C50 hydrocarbyl and one hydrogen atom or two hydrocarbyls wherein at least one hydrocarbyl is a C3-C50 hydrocarbyl, and the central nitrogen atom is bonded to three different carbon atoms or two different carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom; X is independently a monoanionic ligand, or two X may join together to form a bidentate dianionic ligand.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for testing failure rate of newly installed network elements within a predetermined amount of time prior to customer use of the network elements are provided. An order report including information regarding one or more network elements is accessed, and based on the information provided by the orders report, a network element from the one or more network elements to be tested is determined. Information regarding the network element to be tested is retrieved from the orders report and included on a ticket created for the network element to be tested. The ticket created for the network element is then forwarded to a test device for testing of the network element associated with the forwarded ticket.