Abstract: A flexible spinal fixation rod assembly that provides relatively stiff bending compliance provided by a core rod or tube that is connected to surrounding spring and associated couplings in such a way that when the core rod is bent, the spring extends and the associated couplings move away from each other, with the core rod generating a force tending to return the core rod to its unbent configuration thereof and the spring generating a force tending to return the couplings to there unextended configuration thereof. Couplings connect each end of the rod or tube to corresponding pedicle screws for attachment to corresponding vertebrae. As the spine bends, this arrangement allows the spine to bend against limited resistance, exhibiting the necessary axial and compressive strength, and applies force to return the spine to its original configuration.

Abstract: An intermediate device of a network includes network and transport layers, a dispatcher, a splitter and a connections database. The splitter intercepts a message packet in the network layer and modifies the network routing header and transport header of the message packet to form a modified message packet. The dispatcher receives modified message packets from the transport layer, recovers information from the message packets, passes the modified message packets back to the transport layer and adapts the transport layer to adapt communication dependent upon the information recovered from the message packets. The connections database stores the original source address, the original destination address, the original source port identifier and the original destination port identifier of an incoming message packet. A message packet is modified, with reference to the connections database, so that message packets from the first and second nodes are routed through the dispatcher.

Abstract: A system and process for use by a financial institution to facilitate relationship pricing in connection with a single account that includes a plurality of account components, including a checking component, a savings component and a investment component. The system includes software engines operated on specially programmed general purpose computers. The engines are sub-systems that generate input and drive another sub-system or the product processors. The overall function of the engines is to, among other things, allow pricing to be determined based on a customer's total individual or household relationship to the financial institution. The preferred system includes a rate engine, a pricing engine, a linkage engine, a balance engine, and a cycle engine.