Abstract: Systems, methods, and compositions generate cross-linking activity for treatment of eye disorders. Various agents, additives, buffers, etc., may be employed in formulations with a cross-linking agent to enhance treatment. For example, a composition for applying treatment to a cornea of an eye includes a cross-linking agent that generates cross-linking activity in the cornea in response to exposure to a photo-activating light. The composition also includes an iron additive and citrate buffer. In some cases, the cross-linking agent may include riboflavin. In other cases, the iron additive may include FeSO4. In further cases, the iron additive may be dissolved in the citrate buffer.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and compositions generate cross-linking activity for treatment of eye disorders. Various agents, additives, buffers, etc., may be employed in formulations with a cross-linking agent to enhance treatment. For example, a composition for applying treatment to a cornea of an eye includes a cross-linking agent that generates cross-linking activity in the cornea in response to exposure to a photo-activating light. The composition also includes an iron additive and citrate buffer. In some cases, the cross-linking agent may include riboflavin. In other cases, the iron additive may include FeSO4. In further cases, the iron additive may be dissolved in the citrate buffer.

Abstract: A system for performing quasi-elastic light scattering and fluorescent ligand scanning on a subject's eye includes a light source configured to transmit light toward the subject's eye, a lens configured to focus light sent from the source and scattered by the subject's eye, a measurement reflector disposed to receive at least a portion of the focused light and configured to reflect a first portion of the received light, a camera configured and disposed to receive the first portion of the received light and configured to provide indicia of an image corresponding to the first portion of the received light, and a processor coupled to the camera and configured to analyze intensities of light in the image to determine a location of a reference point corresponding to an interface of a portion of the eye.

Abstract: A multimodal biometric identification system captures and processes images of both the iris and the retina for biometric identification. Another multimodal ocular system captures and processes images of the iris and/or the from both eyes of a subject. Biometrics based on data provided by these systems are more accurate and robust than using biometrics that include data from only the iris or only the retina from a single eye. An exemplary embodiment emits photons to the iris and the retina of both eyes, an iris image sensor that captures an image of the iris when the iris reflects the emitted light, a retina image sensor that captures an image of the retina when the retina reflects the emitted light, and a controller that controls the iris and the retina illumination sources, where the captured image of the iris and the captured image of the retina contain biometric data.

Abstract: Physically flexible radiation-emitting probes and associated illumination methods and systems for delivering radiation or light to the interior of a lumen or cavity. Light-emitting devices are immersed in a flowing liquid coolant within a probe to provide high light output power, and convoluted electrical power buss structures provide physical flexibility of a probe about a longitudinal axis. The probes can be configured for delivering light to the interior of any lumen including for performing therapeutic medical procedures at locations in body lumens including the interior of the human gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract: Physically flexible radiation-emitting probes and associated illumination methods and systems for delivering radiation or light to the interior of a lumen or cavity. Light-emitting devices are immersed in a flowing liquid coolant within a probe to provide high light output power, and convoluted electrical power buss structures provide physical flexibility of a probe about a longitudinal axis. The probes can be configured for delivering light to the interior of any lumen including for performing therapeutic medical procedures at locations in body lumens including the interior of the human gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract: A method for performing asynchronous statistics updates in a database management system includes receiving a first query against the database, determining if present statistics related to the first query are stale and entering on a queue a request to acquire updated statistics if the present statistics are stale. The queue jobs are executed asynchronously with respect to the query request. As a result, a first query plan may be developed using the present statistics related to the first query. Thus, no delay in processing the query due to statistics updates is incurred. The first query plan may be executed and results given to the requester. At some later time, the request to acquire updated statistics related to the first query is processed asynchronously from the query request. If subsequent queries are received, the queue can delete duplicate requests to update the same statistics. Those subsequent queries can benefit from the updated statistics.

Abstract: A virtual file system and method. The system architecture enables a plurality of underlying file systems running on various file servers to be “virtualized” into one or more “virtual volumes” that appear as a local file system to clients that access the virtual volumes. The system also enables the storage spaces of the underlying file systems to be aggregated into a single virtual storage space, which can be dynamically scaled by adding or removing file servers without taking any of the file systems offline and in a manner transparent to the clients. This functionality is enabled through a software “virtualization” filter on the client that intercepts file system requests and a virtual file system driver on each file server. The system also provides for load balancing file accesses by distributing files across the various file servers in the system, through migration of data files between servers.

Abstract: A knitted collar for a shirt and a method for manufacturing such a collar. The collar includes a knitted collar body having a sewing edge adapted to be attached to the shirt, a finished edge and two selvedges. The body has a pocket at each of the two selvedges. The pocket has first and second ends extending approximately from the finished edge to the sewing edge. The pocket is closed at the first end by the finished edge. A stay is disposed in the pocket of each of the two selvedges. The stay has a first end facing the first end of the pocket and a second end facing the second end of the pocket. A stop stitch formed between the first and second ends of the pocket. The stop stitch closes one of the first and second ends of the pocket for substantially preventing the stay from moving within the pocket. A new type of stay with protrusions is also described.

Abstract: A medical device sheath apparatus and a method for using the apparatus is described. The sheath may include a self sealing fitting suitable for receiving a medical device, a first sheath for receiving the medical device as it passes through the fitting, and a second sheath surrounding the first sheath. A dilator, coupled to at least the second sheath, may also be provided. The apparatus allows therapeutic or diagnostic energy in such forms as electromagnetic radiation or acoustic to be applied to a treatment area. A method for making the apparatus is also described.

Abstract: Catheters for performing therapeutic and diagnostic procedures within a body, including human or animal body cavities or lumens, and methods for use. One or more distancing member of the catheter can be used to position a sensor or a therapeutic device a minimum distance from a wall of a lumen or cavity. The catheter can include means for actively or passively controlling or modulating its position within the lumen or cavity during a procedure. Methods for using the catheter include nonocclusive deployment in the human gastrointestinal tract for phototherapy procedures, delivering electromagnetic radiation substantially homogeneously or in a desired pattern to the interior of a lumen.

Abstract: A knitted collar for a shirt and a method for manufacturing such a collar. The collar includes a knitted collar body having a sewing edge adapted to be attached to the shirt, a finished edge and two selvedges. The body has a pocket at each of the two selvedges. The pocket has first and second ends extending approximately from the finished edge to the sewing edge. The pocket is closed at the first end by the finished edge. A stay is disposed in the pocket of each of the two selvedges. The stay has a first end facing the first end of the pocket and a second end facing the second end of the pocket. A stop stitch formed between the first and second ends of the pocket. The stop stitch closes one of the first and second ends of the pocket for substantially preventing the stay from moving within the pocket. A new type of stay with protrusions is also described.

Abstract: Physically flexible radiation-emitting probes and associated illumination methods and systems for delivering radiation or light to the interior of a lumen or cavity. Light-emitting devices are immersed in a flowing liquid coolant within a probe to provide high light output power, and convoluted electrical power buss structures provide physical flexibility of a probe about a longitudinal axis. The probes can be configured for delivering light to the interior of any lumen including for performing therapeutic medical procedures at locations in body lumens including the interior of the human gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract: Physically flexible radiation-emitting probes and associated illumination methods and systems for delivering radiation or light to the interior of a lumen or cavity. Light-emitting devices are immersed in a flowing liquid coolant within a probe to provide high light output power, and convoluted electrical power buss structures provide physical flexibility of a probe about a longitudinal axis. The probes can be configured for delivering light to the interior of any lumen including for performing therapeutic medical procedures at locations in body lumens including the interior of the human gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract: A knitted collar for a shirt and a method for manufacturing such a collar. The collar includes a knitted collar body having a sewing edge adapted to be attached to the shirt, a finished edge and two selvedges. The body has a pocket at each of the two selvedges. The pocket has first and second ends extending approximately from the finished edge to the sewing edge. The pocket is closed at the first end by the finished edge. A stay is disposed in the pocket of each of the two selvedges. The stay has a first end facing the first end of the pocket and a second end facing the second end of the pocket. A stop stitch formed between the first and second ends of the pocket. The stop stitch closes one of the first and second ends of the pocket for substantially preventing the stay from moving within the pocket. A new type of stay with protrusions is also described.

Abstract: A method of pocketing a plastic stay in a knitted shirt collar by projecting the distal end of the stay through a side opening into the pocket and stretching the remaining pocket length over the protruding proximal end of the stay and releasing the knitted material to complete the pocketing procedure.

Abstract: A method of pocketing a plastic stay in a knitted shirt collar by projecting the distal end of the stay through a side opening into the pocket and stretching the remaining pocket length over the protruding proximal end of the stay and releasing the knitted material to complete the pocketing procedure.

Abstract: A knitted collar for a shirt and a method for manufacturing such a collar. The collar includes a knitted collar body having a sewing edge adapted to be attached to the shirt, a finished edge and two selvedges. The body has a pocket at each of the two selvedges. The pocket has first and second ends extending approximately from the finished edge to the sewing edge. The pocket is closed at the first end by the finished edge. A stay is disposed in the pocket of each of the two selvedges. The stay has a first end facing the first end of the pocket and a second end facing the second end of the pocket. A stop stitch formed between the first and second ends of the pocket. The stop stitch closes one of the first and second ends of the pocket for substantially preventing the stay from moving within the pocket. A new type of stay with protrusions is also described.

Abstract: For a selected collar stay, i.e., 0.375 inches in width, for a shirt knitted with selectively sized wales, i.e., 0.10 inches in width, a pocket for the stay also knitted but with selectively narrower wales, i.e., 0.025 inches in width, so that predictably a number of wales, i.e., 14 in number, produces a width of the pocket approximately equal to the width of the stay to minimize movement of the stay within the pocket.