Abstract: Methods for non-invasive retrieval of viable (i.e., able to be fertilized) oocytes from the uterus via a combination of unique ovarian stimulation and uterine lavage technology. These methods may eliminate the need for an invasive surgical procedure. Embodiments include the use of a novel hormonal protocol, including the use of injectable gonadotropins, to induce the release of immature oocytes from the ovaries of a patient. The immature oocytes mature as they transit the fallopian tubes such that mature, viable oocytes may be collected from the uterus via a uterine lavage procedure. Further embodiments include the use of a novel hormonal protocol, including the administration of Prostaglandins, Estradiol, and/or Progesterone Blockers, to accelerate transport of oocytes through the fallopian tubes.

Abstract: A golf simulating system and method for playing a golf game partially in a golf simulator and partially on a real golf course that allows a player to strike a virtual golf ball in a golf simulator from a virtual teeing area and a virtual fairway. Upon the ball reaching the virtual putting area, the player moves to putt a real golf ball in a real putting area. The player then moves to a real putting area to continue the golf game by putting the real golf ball. The starting position of the real golf ball is based on tracking the position of the virtual golf ball. Oral or visual instructions prompt the player where to place the golf ball on the real putting area. The score is automatically calculated based on the player's performance in the two areas combined within the proprietary software.

Abstract: A golf simulating system and method for playing a golf game partially in a golf simulator and partially on a real golf course that allows a player to strike a virtual golf ball in a golf simulator from a virtual teeing area and a virtual fairway. Upon the ball reaching the virtual putting area, the player moves to putt a real golf ball in a real putting area. The player then moves to a real putting area to continue the golf game by putting the real golf ball. The starting position of the real golf ball is based on tracking the position of the virtual golf ball. Oral or visual instructions prompt the player where to place the golf ball on the real putting area. The score is automatically calculated based on the player's performance in the two areas combined within the proprietary software.

Abstract: A utility is provided for generating applications for a variety of data conversion or handling application environments. A user can use a graphical user interface to purpose application adaptable modules to define a desired application. In one implementation, the user interface includes a node tree panel and a process assembly panel. The node tree panel lists tool sets including transformations, maps and input-output tools. These tools can then be assembled together with identified data sources and then elements using the assembly panel to define an application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application.

Abstract: Computer-based tools and methods for conversion of data from a first form to a second form without reference to the context of data to be converted. The conversion may be facilitated by matching source data with external information (e.g., public and/or private schema) that contain rules (e.g., context specific rules) for conversion of the data. The matching may be performed based on an optimized index string matching technique that may be operable to match source data to external information that is context dependent without specific identification of the context of either the source data or the external information identified. Accordingly, the conversion of data may be performed in an unsupervised machine learning environment.

Abstract: A utility is provided for generating applications for a variety of data conversion or handling application environments. A user can use a graphical user interface to purpose application adaptable modules to define a desired application. In one implementation, the user interface (1500) includes a node tree panel (1502) and a process assembly panel (1504). The node tree panel (1502) lists tool sets (1508) including transformations, maps and input-output tools. These tools can then be assembled together with identified data sources and then elements using the assembly panel (1504) to define an application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application.

Abstract: A string analysis tool for calculating a similarity metric between a source string and a plurality of target strings. The string analysis tool may include optimizations that may reduce the number of calculations to be carried out when calculating the similarity metric for large volumes of data. In this regard, the string analysis tool may represent strings as features. As such, analysis may be performed relative to features (e.g., of either the source string or plurality of target strings) such that features from the strings may be eliminated from consideration when identifying target strings for which a similarity metric is to be calculated. The elimination of features may be based on a minimum similarity metric threshold, wherein features that are incapable of contributing to a similarity metric above the minimum similarity metric threshold are eliminated from consideration.

Abstract: A material with cationic exchanger properties is introduced into aqueous media, where the equilibriums of carbon dioxide dissolution take place. A cationic exchanger material x/nM+nEx? is used to capture hydronium cations (H3O+) according to: x/nM+nEx?(s)+xH3O+(aq)=xH3O+Ex?(s)+x/nM+n(aq) where “x” stands for molar amount of the anionic centers of charge of the cationic exchanger material Ex? balanced by x/n molar amount of metal M, “n” stands for the metal valence, and M is selected from the group consisting of 1A and/or 2A of the periodic table of elements. This capture of the hydronium cations, H3O+, shifts certain reaction equilibriums to the right, according to Le Chatelier's principle, producing more bicarbonate, HCO3?, and/or carbonate, CO3=, than would otherwise be obtained.

Abstract: A machine based tool and associated logic and methodology are used in converting data from an input form to a target form using context dependent conversion rules, and in efficiency generating an index that may be utilized to access the converted data in a database. Once the data has been converted, an index data structure for each data object may be automatically generated that encodes one or more characteristics or attributes of the converted data so that an entity may access the data using the index structure. As an example, the one or more characteristics may include categories, subcategories, or other attributes of the data.

Abstract: A string analysis tool for calculating a similarity metric between a source string and a plurality of target strings. The string analysis tool may include optimizations that may reduce the number of calculations to be carried out when calculating the similarity metric for large volumes of data. In this regard, the string analysis tool may represent strings as features. As such, analysis may be performed relative to features (e.g., of either the source string or plurality of target strings) such that features from the strings may be eliminated from consideration when identifying target strings for which a similarity metric is to be calculated. The elimination of features may be based on a minimum similarity metric threshold, wherein features that are incapable of contributing to a similarity metric above the minimum similarity metric threshold are eliminated from consideration.

Abstract: Computer-based tools and methods for conversion of data from a first form to a second form without reference to the context of data to be converted. The conversion may be facilitated by matching source data with external information (e.g., public and/or private schema) that contain rules (e.g., context specific rules) for conversion of the data. The matching may be performed based on an optimized index string matching technique that may be operable to match source data to external information that is context dependent without specific identification of the context of either the source data or the external information identified. Accordingly, the conversion of data may be performed in an unsupervised machine learning environment.

Abstract: A utility is provided for generating applications for a variety of data conversion or handling application environments. A user can use a graphical user interface to purpose application adaptable modules to define a desired application. In one implementation, the user interface (1500) includes a node tree panel (1502) and a process assembly panel (1504). The node tree panel (1502) lists tool sets (1508) including transformations, maps and input-output tools. These tools can then be assembled together with identified data sources and then elements using the assembly panel (1504) to define an application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application.

Abstract: A material with cationic exchanger properties is introduced into aqueous media, where the equilibriums of carbon dioxide dissolution take place. A cationic exchanger material x/nM+nEx? is used to capture hydronium cations (H3O+) according to: x/nM+nEx?(s)+xH3O+(aq)=xH3O+Ex?(s)+x/nM+n(aq) where “x” stands for molar amount of the anionic centers of charge of the cationic exchanger material Ex? balanced by x/n molar amount of metal M, “n” stands for the metal valence, and M is selected from the group consisting of 1A and/or 2A of the periodic table of elements. This capture of the hydronium cations, H3O+, shifts certain reaction equilibriums to the right, according to Le Chatelier's principle, producing more bicarbonate, HCO3?, and/or carbonate, CO3=, than would otherwise be obtained.

Abstract: A utility is provided for generating applications for a variety of data conversion or handling application environments. A user can use a graphical user interface to purpose application adaptable modules to define a desired application. In one implementation, the user interface (1500) includes a node tree panel (1502) and a process assembly panel (1504). The node tree panel (1502) lists tool sets (1508) including transformations, maps and input-output tools. These tools can then be assembled together with identified data sources and then elements using the assembly panel (1504) to define an application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application.

Abstract: A machine based tool and associated logic and methodology are used in converting data from an input form to a target form using context dependent conversion rules, and in efficiency generating an index that may be utilized to access the converted data in a database. Once the data has been converted, an index data structure for each data object may be automatically generated that encodes one or more characteristics or attributes of the converted data so that an entity may access the data using the index structure. As an example, the one or more characteristics may include categories, subcategories, or other attributes of the data.

Abstract: A utility is provided for generating applications for a variety of data conversion or handling application environments. A user can use a graphical user interface to purpose application adaptable modules to define a desired application. In one implementation, the user interface (1500) includes a node tree panel (1502) and a process assembly panel (1504). The node tree panel (1502) lists tool sets (1508) including transformations, maps and input-output tools. These tools can then be assembled together with identified data sources and then elements using the assembly panel (1504) to define an application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application.

Abstract: In connection with a machine-based system for transforming data from a source form to a target form, a tool is provided for sharing information established in developing a transformation model. The shared information may relate to rules for mapping source collection terms to standardized terms, rules for ordering or syntax, rules for classifying terms or other transformation rules. Such information defines a knowledge base for the project. The knowledge base is divided into domains and subdomains that define a hierarchy that includes dependencies and references. These dependencies and references are used for domain management such that any conflicts and inconsistencies can be identified and arbitrated. In this manner, information sharing is accommodated, for example, for efficient knowledge base creation and multi-user functionality.

Abstract: A utility is provided for generating applications for a variety of data conversion or handling application environments. A user can use a graphical user interface to purpose application adaptable modules to define a desired application. In one implementation, the user interface (1500) includes a node tree panel (1502) and a process assembly panel (1504). The node tree panel (1502) lists tool sets (1508) including transformations, maps and input-output tools. These tools can then be assembled together with identified data sources and then elements using the assembly panel (1504) to define an application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application. In this manner, an application is generated from a number of generic modules simply by linking the modules to perform a purpose of the desired application.

Abstract: In connection with a machine-based system for transforming data from a source form to a target form, a tool is provided for sharing information established in developing a transformation model. The shared information may relate to rules for mapping source collection terms to standardized terms, rules for ordering or syntax, rules for classifying terms or other transformation rules. Such information defines a knowledge base for the project. The knowledge base is divided into domains and subdomains that define a hierarchy that includes dependencies and references. These dependencies and references are used for domain management such that any conflicts and inconsistencies can be identified and arbitrated. In this manner, information sharing is accommodated, for example, for efficient knowledge base creation and multi-user functionality.

Abstract: A process comprises providing a catalyst comprising a support, a microwave absorption material, and a catalytically active phase; heating the catalyst with a source of microwave energy which is absorbed by said microwave absorption material to increase the temperature of the catalyst to a desired temperature; and contacting said heated catalyst with a hydrocarbon feedstock for upgrading same.