Abstract: An annuloplasty ring comprising an elongate tube of suturable material formed into a ring. A stiffener configured to prevent axial compression and radial deformation of the ring is received in the tube in a first circumferential segment of the ring. An axial support configured to prevent axial compression of the ring and to permit radial deformation of the ring is received in the tube in a second circumferential segment of the ring. The first circumferential segment of the ring may correspond to a posterior portion of a mitral valve annulus with the first circumferential portion configured to extend between the right and the left fibrous trigones of the mitral valve annulus upon installation. The second circumferential segment of the ring may correspond to an anterior portion of a mitral valve annulus and the second circumferential segment is configured to extend between the right and left fibrous trigones of the mitral valve annulus upon installation.

Abstract: A trunk piston marine engine lubricant comprises in respective minor amounts (A) an overbased metal hydrocarbyl-substituted hydroxybenzoate detergent system, and (B) a hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic acid anhydride made by halogen- or radical-assisted functionalization processes, where the ratio of succinic anhydride to hydrocarbyl chains is in the range of 1.4 to 4. The lubricant, when used to lubricate such an engine fuelled by heavy fuel oil, exhibits improved control of asphaltene precipitation and deposition on engine surfaces.

Abstract: A trunk piston marine engine lubricant comprises in respective minor amounts (A) an overbased metal hydrocarbyl-substituted hydroxybenzoate detergent system, and (B) a hydrocarbyl-subsituted succinic acid anhydride, preferably made by halogen- or radical-assisted fractionalization processes, where the ratio of succinic anhydride to hydrocarbyl chains is in the range of 1.4 to 4. The lubricant, when used to lubricate such an engine fuelled by heavy fuel oil, exhibits improved control of asphaltene precipitation and deposition on engine surfaces.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for total elbow replacement are provided to allow a surgeon to intraoperatively select a linked or unlinked constraint by utilizing a connection located on the body of the ulnar and/or humeral stem. Additional modularity also allows the selection of a cemented or cementless stem as described herein. The modularity and adjustability provides a number of advantages.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of enhancing data in a screenshot can include capturing a screenshot of content presented on a display and identifying within the content at least a first element comprising first semantic data. A first semantic representation of the first semantic data can be generated and the first semantic representation can be associated with the first element. The first semantic representation and the screenshot can be output.

Abstract: A method of forming a densified preform or composite part is disclosed that includes partially densifying a porous preform, forming channels in the partially densified preform that open to an exterior surface of the partially densified preform, infiltrating a densifying agent, such as pitch, into at least some of the channels of the partially densified preform, at least partially stabilizing the densifying agent, including heating at a first temperature, such that cracks form within the densifying agent, and exposing the preform to an oxidizing agent, and heating the at least partially stabilized preform at a second temperature to carbonize at least the stabilized densifying agent. A partially densified preform including a densifying agent disposed at least in such channels also is disclosed.

Abstract: A proton exchange membrane fuel cell is described and which includes a proton exchange membrane having at least one gas diffusion layer which is juxtaposed relative thereto, and which is fabricated, at least in part, of a porous, electrically conductive, inorganic material which is selected from the group comprising metal diborides, metal disilicides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, and composites, laminates and solid solutions thereof.

Abstract: A technique of heating a mixture of fibers that includes sacrificial fibers and carbon fiber precursor fibers to a temperature between about 170° C. and about 400° C., such that the sacrificial fibers are substantially removed and a plurality of channels remain in a preform precursor, and carbonizing the carbon fiber precursor fibers to form a porous carbon fiber preform. Also disclosed is a technique of heating a mixture of fibers that includes sacrificial fibers and carbon fibers to a temperature between about 170° C. and about 400° C., such that the sacrificial fibers are substantially removed and a plurality of channels remain, and infiltrating a densifying agent into at least the plurality of channels. Also disclosed is an article including a mixture of fibers that includes sacrificial fibers and carbon fiber precursor fibers or carbon fibers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for providing customers in a queue with assurance that the product that they queued up to purchase will be reserved for them and for providing customer with a digital queue card that provides information relating to the customers' spot in line, a dynamic estimated wait time, and tools for expediting their checkout process and the overall wait time for all the customers in the queue.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of enhancing data in a screenshot can include capturing a screenshot of content presented on a display and identifying within the content at least a first element comprising first semantic data. A first semantic representation of the first semantic data can be generated and the first semantic representation can be associated with the first element. The first semantic representation and the screenshot can be output.

Abstract: The tetracycline class of antibiotics has played a major role in the treatment of infectious diseases for the past 50 years. However, the increased use of the tetracyclines in human and veterinary medicine has led to resistance among many organisms previously susceptible to tetracycline antibiotics. The recent development of a modular synthesis of tetracycline analogs through a chiral enone intermediate has allowed for the efficient synthesis of novel tetracycline analogs never prepared before. The present invention provides more efficient routes for preparing the enone intermediate and allows for substituents at positions 4a, 5, 5a, and 12a of the tetracycline ring system.

Abstract: A buoyancy-based cervical traction system has a floatation and a head rest supported by the flotation system. The head rest is adapted to support a person's head above the neck and apply traction to the neck when the person is in a body of liquid. The system has a position adjustment system adapted to allow selective adjustment of the position at which the person's head rest will be relative to an upper surface of the liquid when the person and the cervical traction system are in the liquid, the person's head is supported by the head rest, and the cervical traction system and person are floating in the liquid at equilibrium.

Abstract: A hair fastening device for use in holding a user's hair. The hair fastening device includes an elongated band having a first end and a second end. The hair fastening device includes an opening on a first end thereof into which a user can insert his or her finger in order to hold the elongated band. The elongated band includes a first surface having fasteners thereon, and a second surface having fasteners on the second end thereof. The elongated band can be disposed in a loop and secured on a user's hair by engaging the fasteners on the first and second surfaces thereof. An attachment having a foam body can be removably secured to the elongated band to facilitate securement of the user's hair. In this way, the hair fastening device allows a user to adjustably secure his or her hair in a ponytail or similar hair style.

Abstract: A pitch densification apparatus may be used to form a carbon-carbon composite material. The apparatus may be used to compress a carbon fiber material, and, thereafter, pitch densify the carbon fiber material. The compression and pitch densification of the carbon fiber material may be carried out within the same mold cavity of the pitch densification apparatus. In one example, an apparatus may comprise a mold defining a mold cavity that is configured to receive a material to be densified. The mold cavity is configured to be adjusted from a first volume to a second volume less than the first volume to compress the material in the mold cavity. The example apparatus may further comprise a gas source configured to apply a gas pressure in the mold cavity to force pitch into the material in the mold cavity to densify the material, and a vacuum source configured to create a vacuum pressure in the mold cavity at least prior to the application of the gas pressure.

Abstract: The various aspects provide a dynamic compilation framework that includes a machine-independent optimization module operating on a computing device and methods for optimizing code with the machine-independent optimization module using a single, combined-forwards-backwards pass of the code. In the various aspects, the machine-independent optimization module may generate a graph of nodes from the IR, optimize nodes in the graph using forwards and backwards optimizations, and propagating the forwards and backwards optimizations to nodes in a bounded subgraph recognized or defined based on the position of the node currently being optimized. In the various aspects, the machine-independent optimization module may optimize the graph by performing forwards and/or backwards optimizations during a single pass through the graph, thereby achieving an effective degree of optimization and shorter overall compile times.

Abstract: An annuloplasty ring holder including a head having an upper surface and an annuloplasty ring receiving surface facing opposite the upper surface. The annuloplasty ring holder also includes means for attaching an annuloplasty ring to the annuloplasty ring receiving surface. The means for attaching an annuloplasty ring to the annuloplasty ring receiving surface may include one or more suture guides operatively associated with the head and configured to position one or more sutures to removably associate an annuloplasty ring with the annuloplasty ring receiving surface. The head may include a central hub and more than one spoke radiating out from the central hub. If the head is thus configured, each spoke will include a portion of the annuloplasty ring receiving surface.

Abstract: A buoyancy-based cervical traction system has a floatation and a head rest supported by the flotation system. The head rest is adapted to support a person's head above the neck and apply traction to the neck when the person is in a body of liquid. The system has a position adjustment system adapted to allow selective adjustment of the position at which the person's head rest will be relative to an upper surface of the liquid when the person and the cervical traction system are in the liquid, the person's head is supported by the head rest, and the cervical traction system and person are floating in the liquid at equilibrium.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to creation and operation of a marketplace among trusted small and medium sized banks for participation in commercial loans too large for an individual participating bank to undertake on its own. This technology can be applied to formation of other marketplaces in which trust matters and controlled dissemination of opportunity information, as in layers or rounds, proceeds manually. Aspects of the technology disclosed can be used by initiators and participants to syndicate loans once a marketplace is established, whether the market is established applying the technology disclosed or otherwise. This technology also can be applied to syndicate other opportunities or to resell participations in syndicated loans that have closed and been funded.

Abstract: In the various aspects, a virtual machine operating at the machine layer may use power consumption models to partition object code into portions, identify the relative power efficiencies of the mobile device processors for the various code portions, and route the code portions to the mobile device processors that can perform the operations using the least amount of energy. A dynamic binary translator process may translate the object code portions into an instruction set language supported by the hardware component identified as being preferred. The code portions may be executed and the amount of power consumed may be measured, with the measurements used to generate and/or update performance and power consumption models.

Abstract: The tetracycline class of antibiotics has played a major role in the treatment of infectious diseases for the past 50 years. However, the increased use of the tetracyclines in human and veterinary medicine has led to resistance among many organisms previously thought susceptible to tetracycline antibiotics. The recent development of a modular synthesis of tetracycline analogs through a chiral enone intermediate has allowed for the efficient synthesis of novel tetracycline analogs never prepared before. The present invention provides more efficient routes for preparing the enone intermediate and allows for substituents at positions 4a, 5, 5a, and 12a of the tetracycline ring system.