Abstract: A surgical staple cartridge is disclosed comprising a plurality of staples removably stored within the surgical staple cartridge. The staples comprise staple legs which extend from a staple base portion. The staple legs comprise staple tips configured to pierce tissue and contact a corresponding forming pocket of an anvil of surgical stapling instrument. The staples further comprise zones having different hardnesses.

Abstract: A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure using an electrosurgical instrument including an end effector is disclosed. The method comprises applying a bipolar energy to a target tissue grasped by the end effector in a tissue-feathering segment, applying an energy blend of the bipolar energy and a monopolar energy to the target tissue in a tissue-warming segment and a tissue-sealing segment following the tissue-warming segment, and discontinuing the bipolar energy but continuing to apply the monopolar energy to the target tissue in a tissue-cutting segment following the tissue-sealing segment.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.

Abstract: A process and system are disclosed for downloading sensor data, stored in a memory device of a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, to an external or remote computer device. The process may involve storing data from one or more sensors of a surgical cutting and fastening instrument in a memory device of a control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument during a surgical procedure involving the surgical cutting and fastening instrument. Next, after the surgical procedure, a data link between the control unit and the remote computer device is established. Then, the sensor data can be downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

Abstract: Surgical end effectors and fastener cartridges having firing lockout arrangements for preventing or limit a firing stroke when a cartridge has not been operably installed in the end effector or a spent cartridge has not been replaced.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.

Abstract: A test system receives environment information of a target database system, where the environment information includes information relating to hardware and software components of the target database system, and one or more of: definitions of workloads in the target database system, and settings of a scheduler in the target database system. The test system emulates an environment of the target database system using the received environment information, and database software is executed in the emulated environment in the test system.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program are disclosed. Statistics are read from a data dictionary on a target system. The statistics include statistics for a table in a database in the target system. The statistics are exported to a test system separate from the target system. A command is received to use the statistics in emulation. In response the statistics are copied to a cache in the test system and the target system is emulated on the test system using the statistics in the test system's cache.

Abstract: A test system receives environment information of a target database system, where the environment information includes information relating to hardware and software components of the target database system, and one or more of: definitions of workloads in the target database system, and settings of a scheduler in the target database system. The test system emulates an environment of the target database system using the received environment information, and database software is executed in the emulated environment in the test system.

Abstract: A temporary computer-stored first-unit intermediate result is generated while executing a first unit of work on a computer-based database management system. The first-unit intermediate result has properties. It is determined that the properties of the first-unit intermediate result are similar to properties of a second-unit intermediate result to be generated for a second unit of work when the second unit of work is executed on the computer-based database management system. In response, the first-unit intermediate result is saved for use in executing the second unit of work.