Abstract: A surgical instrument, has an end effector that includes an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm that moves relative to the ultrasonic blade from an opened position toward an intermediate position and a closed position. The clamp arm is offset from the ultrasonic blade to define a predetermined gap in the intermediate position between the opened position and the closed position. A clamp arm actuator connects to the clamp arm and moves from an opened configuration to a closed configuration to direct the clamp arm from the opened position toward the intermediate position and the closed position. A spacer connects with the clamp arm to inhibit movement of the clamp arm from the intermediate position toward the closed position for maintaining the predetermined gap between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: A direct mail postal optimization system and method reduces postal expenses of direct mail campaigns relative to postal expenses of conventional direct mail campaigns, while increasing customer responses to the direct mail campaign. The system and method evaluates a plurality of direct mail audience scenarios taking into consideration a postal service carrier route to minimize cost and maximize revenue generated by purchases per household receiving a direct mailing via a direct mail campaign.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for providing transactional quality of service providing transaction service level information from an application requesting a data transmission transaction to a communication process executing on a data processing system. The transaction service level information is provided separate from the data for the data transmission transaction. A quality of service level associated with the data transmission transaction is determined based on the transaction service level information received from the application. Other embodiments also provide for establishing a quality of service level without reference to transaction data content while further embodiments provide for establishing a quality of service level for responses.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for providing transactional quality of service providing transaction service level information from an application requesting a data transmission transaction to a communication process executing on a data processing system. The transaction service level information is provided separate from the data for the data transmission transaction. A quality of service level associated with the data transmission transaction is determined based on the transaction service level information received from the application. Other embodiments also provide for establishing a quality of service level without reference to transaction data content while further embodiments provide for establishing a quality of service level for responses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing dynamically controlling access to files in a client/server system. A client wanting access to a file first requests a token from an object server. The object server generates the token as a function of the file name and ephemeral information and provides the token to both the client and the file system. Upon receiving the token from the object server, the client presents an access request to the file system, using the token rather than the file name as an identifier. The file system compares the received identifier with the file names in the specified directory as well as with a list of valid tokens that it maintains. If the identifier corresponds to a valid token for a file in the directory, the access request is granted. Otherwise, the access request is denied. The procedure is transparent to the client, which uses the token in the same manner as it would use a regular file name.