Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for managing a level of heat provided by a processing module and a heating mechanism. In one example, a method includes determining, by a system such as a management control system, that a demand for water from a hot water reservoir is increasing. The hot water reservoir may serve as a heat sink for a processing module and may include a heating mechanism adapted to provide heat to the hot water reservoir separately from the processing module. A determination may be made as to whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand. If the processing module is not able to produce enough heat to meet the demand, the heat output of the heating mechanism may be increased to provide additional heat to the water in the hot water reservoir.

Abstract: Methods and devices create an intestinal braking effect, are non-invasive or minimally invasive, and may be reversible. These methods and devices are accomplished via stabilized implantable systems, and ingestible pills. In one embodiment, the implantable system comprises a device delivering a therapeutic substance to a target location within the gastrointestinal tract of a patient in order to initiate an intestinal braking effect which would promote sensations of satiety and stimulate excess weight loss for the patient.

Abstract: The roof vent shield is attached to the downslope side of an existing roof vent, to prevent the entrance of windblown moisture into the mouth of the vent. The shield includes an elongate panel disposed along the length of the vent, with the upper edges of the vent opening and panel forming a ventilation opening therebetween. The opposed ends of the panel include opposite vent attachment flanges, and the lower edge of the panel includes a roof attachment flange. The shield panel and its various attachment flanges may be formed of a single homogeneous sheet of material (galvanized steel, corrosion resistant steel, aluminum, etc.), or may be assembled from separate components at the time of manufacture. The shield panel is oriented at least generally normal to the plane of the roof when the device is installed, and may include reinforcing bends along its upper and lower edges for greater rigidity.

Abstract: A fiber optic device is provided with a feedthrough assembly adapted to decouple deflections imposed on the feedthrough from lensed end of a fiber disposed within the feedthrough assembly.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging device includes a transducer assembly for transmitting ultrasound pulses into a portion of a structure to be imaged and receiving ultrasound scattered by said structure portion and generating signals in response thereto, means to energize said transducer assembly to transmit said pulses, scanning means for progressively relating said transducer assembly to successive portions of said structure according to a scanning pattern, and receiver and signal processing means for assembling an image from said generated signals, the transducer assembly comprising separate transmitting and receiving transducers, one of said transducers being a simulated conical transducer having a line focus, and the other of said transducers having its axis in parallel alignment with said line focus, the scanning means being operative to move said line focus in relation to a structure to be imaged in accordance with said scanning pattern.