Abstract: An enterprise locking service coordinates multiple cooperating applications to ensure that one and only one user is modifying a database record at a given time. The database records may be stored in multiple databases having potentially different database record locking protocols. Through monitoring and tracking requests for database locks, the enterprise locking service is also able to determine database usage trends under various metrics.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming fine scale structures (4, 4?, 4?, 5, 6, 7, 8) in the surface of a dielectric substrate (3) to two or more depths are disclosed. In an example, the apparatus 25 comprises a first solid state laser (12) arranged to provide a first pulsed laser beam (13), a first mask (16) having a pattern for defining a first set of structures (4, 6, 7, 8) at a first depth, a projection lens (17) for forming a reduced size image of said pattern on the surface (3) of the substrate and a beam scanner arranged to scan said first pulsed laser beam (13) in a two-dimensional raster scan relative to the first pattern to form a first set of structures (4, 6, 7, 5) at a first depth in the substrate, wherein the first or a further solid state laser is arranged to form a second set of structures (8) at a second depth in the substrate (3).

Abstract: First in, first out (FIFO) queues may be used to transfer data between a producer clock domain and a number of consumer clock domains. In one implementation, a control component for the FIFO queues may include a number of counters, corresponding to each of the consumer clock domains, each of the counters maintaining a count value relating to an amount of data read by the corresponding consumer clock domain. The control component may additionally include a credit deduction component coupled to the count values of the counters, the credit deduction component determining whether any of the count values is above a threshold, and in response to the determination that any of the count values is above the threshold, reducing the count value of each of the counters and issuing a write pulse signal to the producer clock domain, the write pulse signal causing the producer clock domain to perform a write operation to the FIFO queues.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is described that allows accurately registered, high resolution patterning of thin films on discrete lengths of flexible substrate material that are unwound from a drum and after processing are rewound onto another drum. Discrete lengths of the substrate—are clamped to a chuck and the chuck moved in a direction parallel to the length of the substrate. Accommodating units are provided for accommodating length changes in the substrate both upstream and downstream of the chuck. A processing head is moved across the width of the substrate when clamped to the chuck and pattern formation is by one, or a combination, of laser ablation, laser exposure or ink jet printing using either or both subtractive and additive processes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method can include receiving at an egress schedule module a request to schedule transmission of a group of cells from an ingress queue through a switch fabric of a multi-stage switch. The ingress queue can be associated with an ingress stage of the multi-stage switch. The egress schedule module can be associated with an egress stage of the multi-stage switch. The method can also include determining, in response to the request, that an egress port at the egress stage of the multi-stage switch is available to transmit the group of cells from the multi-stage switch.

Abstract: A washout vent for a mask for use with a system for supplying breathable gas pressurized above atmospheric pressure to an airway of a mammal for treatment of sleep disordered breathing, includes a solid mask section and a vent orifice extending through a thickness of the solid mask section and adapted for gas washout. The vent orifice includes opposed side walls providing a flow passage that allows gas to flow along the opposed side walls from an interior of the mask to atmosphere in use, and the opposed side walls defining at least a portion of a conic section having a length substantially greater than its width. The vent orifice includes an orifice inlet at the interior of the mask and an orifice exit open to atmosphere, and the opposed side walls converge from the orifice inlet to the orifice exit to reduce noise of gas washout.

Abstract: A method for controlling nematodes in or on a plant, a plant part, and/or a locus for plant growth is provided, the method comprising applying to a plant, plant part, or locus for plant growth in need of protection from said nematodes an effective amount of Bacillus pumilus, a mutant of Bacillus pumilus, or at least one metabolite of Bacillus pumilus. In particular, the Bacillus pumilus strain may be strain QST2808.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques of determining whether a symbol stream includes a pattern defined by a regular expression. As described herein, the regular expression may be represented using a non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA). A plurality of states in the NFA may be evaluated in parallel. These states may be associated with a plurality of symbol positions in a symbol stream. Evaluating a plurality of states and symbols in parallel may allow for faster determinations of whether the symbol stream includes the pattern defined by the regular expression.

Abstract: A method and service for establishing a web-based network that includes an enterprise locking service. The enterprise locking service is able to coordinate multiple, cooperating applications that need to ensure that one and only one user is modifying a database record at a given time. These database records may be stored in multiple databases having potentially different database record locking protocols. Through monitoring and tracking of requests for database locks, the enterprise locking service is also able to determine database usage trends under various metrics.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing lipids and amino acids from a gaseous substrate comprising methane and oxygen. The process uses a culture of a methanotrophic microorganism in a liquid nutrient medium. The methanotrophic microorganism can be a Methylomicrobium bacterium and more specifically Methylomicrobium buryatense 5GB1. The lipid products can be in the cellular membrane of the methanotroph and can be extracted in a separate extraction zone.

Abstract: A washout vent for a mask for use with a system for supplying breathable gas pressurized above atmospheric pressure to an airway of a mammal. The washout vent includes a vent orifice adapted for gas washout. The orifice includes one or more features that contribute to noise reduction, such as a channel with converging walls towards atmosphere, and/or a channel having one or more walls provided with surface treatment and/or contouring, such as roughening and/or scalloped portions.

Abstract: This disclosure describes the Fast Chromatic Dispersion Estimation (FCDE) techniques which corrects for chromatic dispersion in high data rate optical communications systems such as some coherent optical communications systems. FCDE may utilize transform such as fast-Fourier transforms to estimate the chromatic dispersion. From an estimation of the chromatic dispersion, the techniques may determine filter tap coefficients for compensating the chromatic dispersion.

Abstract: A forehead support for a mask assembly includes a frame connector provided to a mask frame, a forehead cushion support movably mounted to the frame connector for generally linear movement between retracted and extended positions with respect to the frame connector, and an adjustment knob movably mounted to the frame connector and threadably engaged with the forehead cushion support such that turning movement of the adjustment knob causes the forehead cushion support to be moved between the retracted and extended positions. The adjustment knob includes a resilient prong having a ratchet bump. The ratchet bump is adapted to selectively engage a series of ridges provided to the frame connector to provide indexed incremental adjustment.

Abstract: An automatic alarm system is described that is triggered by the lack of event at one or more portable remote unit(s). The system includes an electromagnetic interface from a plurality of portable units to a central command and monitoring element. This automatic triggering of an alarm condition adds security to the users of the system since it is not always feasible to explicitly trigger an alarm when in danger.

Abstract: Obliquely folding articulating wing mechanisms that include a wing rotatingly connected to a base.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for exposing the surface of a drum to patterned illumination from a pulsed laser source to form a dense, regular array of 3-D microstructures is provided. The method may include locating a mask relative to a target area, projecting a uniform line shaped laser beam through the mask to project an image including a plurality of features of the mask onto the target area, de-magnifying the image, rotating the drum continuously so the surface moves in a first direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drum and simultaneously moving the projected beam in a second direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, tilting the projected array of microstructures to correspond to the helical path followed by the laser beam on the drum surface, and controlling the pulsed laser based on an angular position of the drum.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, program and system for determining the attitude of a vehicle from two sets of local frame and body frame reference vectors utilizing solution equations for Euler sequence angles associated with rotation of a vehicle about a local frame reference vector. In particular, the method, computer program and system determines the attitude at a rate amenable for real time system use in conjunction with a wide array of sensor input sources such as star tracking devices, and provides estimators for the error in the reference vectors usable for surveillance of sensory input quality by flight management systems.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing and at least one cable. The first housing includes a first interface card of a switch fabric. The second housing includes a second interface card of the switch fabric and a third interface card of the switch fabric. The second interface card of the switch fabric is operatively and physically coupled to the third interface card of the switch fabric via a midplane. The second interface card defines a plane that is nonparallel to the a plane defined by the third interface card and a plane defined by the midplane. The plane defined by the third interface card is nonparallel to the plane defined by the second interface card and the plane defined by the midplane. The cable is configured to operatively couple the first interface card to the second interface card.