Abstract: An oral care composition includes an effective amount of a basic amino acid in free or salt form; and an effective amount of calcium silicate particles. The calcium silicate particles have an average diameter of less than about 5 microns, such that they can occlude dentinal tubules of the teeth. An oral care method includes applying the composition to an oral cavity of a subject to reduce or inhibit hypersensitivity of the teeth and to achieve other benefits.

Abstract: A coring assembly comprises an outer barrel coupled to a coring bit. An inner barrel is disposed within the outer barrel. An inner sleeve is disposed within the inner barrel and includes at least one frangible region that allows the inner sleeve to break so that coring operations can continue after the occurrence of a core jam.

Abstract: Gadgets integrate with spreadsheets and the spreadsheet calculation engine. A gadget is bound to a range of cells (one or more) within a sheet. When one or more of the cells of the bound range is accessed (e.g. selected, hovered over, edited, deleted, added), the gadget is notified. The gadget may use this information for updating a display rendered by the gadget and/or performing some other action. The gadget uses an Application Programming Interface (API) to create the binding, communicate with the spreadsheet, and perform actions in the spreadsheet. The gadget is a Named Item object within the spreadsheet such that the gadget may be viewed/displayed differently from other objects. Out of date requests from the gadget are attempted to be detected and prevented from being processed such that the gadget is not acting on the latest data.

Abstract: A tooth whitening composition containing film flakes of a hydroxyalkyl methyl cellulose and a pigment in combination with an orally acceptable carrier vehicle.

Abstract: In one embodiment, methods are described to measure bandwidth limits through multiple test sites. A testing quantity of network packets is generated, the network packets are sent through a service provider network to a plurality of receivers at a testing transmission rate that exceeds an upstream transmission rate limit of the service provider network, a report indicating a received number of packets is received from each of the plurality of receivers, and an upstream transmission rate limit of the service provider network is determined based on the testing transmission and the reports. By using multiple test sites, potential bottlenecks at any one test site are reduced. A similar method can be used to calculate a downstream transmission rate limit. Once measured, the bandwidth limits may be used to adjust quality of service on an edge router or compared against a known service level agreement of the service provider network.

Abstract: A STUN message is received at a router device in a network from a client device in the network along a network path. The STUN message is evaluated for information that indicates to the router device to modify media that is subsequently sent along the network path. If the evaluating indicates that the router device is to modify the media, the media is modified in accordance with information in the STUN message that indicates attributes of the network.

Abstract: A oral care composition includes: (a) a hydrophilic film-forming polymer; and (b) a hydrophobic carrier, wherein the hydrophilic film-forming polymer is a film-forming polymer effective to occlude dentinal tubules and the oral care composition contains 0-10 wt. % water. The hydrophilic film-forming polymer is preferably GANTREZ S. The hydrophobic carrier is preferably a vegetable oil. A method of cleaning teeth includes applying to the teeth the oral care composition such that the hydrophilic film-forming polymer occludes dentinal tubules. A toothbrush includes: a handle; a head mounted to the handle, the head comprising an outer surface and a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly from the outer surface; and a gelatin capsule containing the oral care composition positioned on the head.

Abstract: A new test control structure improves on constructing complex test sequences in a scripting language. The new test control structure iterates over two or more arbitrary values of a test attribute, such as a networking protocol parameter applied at OSI layers 2-7.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a method includes monitoring traffic between a first network element and a second network element, and determining when no packets have been sent from the first network element towards the second network element within a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: Gadgets integrate with spreadsheets and the spreadsheet calculation engine. A gadget is bound to a range of cells (one or more) within a sheet. When one or more of the cells of the bound range is accessed (e.g. selected, hovered over, edited, deleted, added), the gadget is notified. The gadget may use this information for updating a display rendered by the gadget and/or performing some other action. The gadget uses an Application Programming Interface (API) to create the binding, communicate with the spreadsheet, and perform actions in the spreadsheet. The gadget is a Named Item object within the spreadsheet such that the gadget may be viewed/displayed differently from other objects. Out of date requests from the gadget are attempted to be detected and prevented from being processed such that the gadget is not acting on the latest data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring traffic at a network device at a receiving network site to determine if a performance threshold is violated, transmitting an alert to a sending network site if the performance threshold is violated at a path at the network device, and transmitting traffic information for the path from the network device to the sending network site. The receiving network site comprises a plurality of paths for receiving traffic from the sending network site and traffic information is transmitted to the sending network site for each of the paths if the performance threshold is violated. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A oral care composition includes: (a) a guanidine active; (b) a film-forming polymer; (c) a hydrophobic viscosity modifier in an amount sufficient to provide the oral care composition with a particle settling time greater than 20 minutes; and (d) an oil carrier. The guanidine active is preferably L-arginine. The film-forming polymer is preferably GANTREZ. The hydrophobic viscosity modifier is preferably a gelled mineral oil. The oil carrier is preferably a vegetable oil. A method of cleaning teeth includes applying to the teeth the oral care composition such that the oral care composition cleans the teeth. A oral care implement includes: a handle; a head mounted to the handle, the head having an outer surface and a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly from the outer surface; and a gelatin capsule containing the oral care composition positioned on the head.

Abstract: A coring assembly comprises an outer barrel coupled to a coring bit. An inner barrel is disposed within the outer barrel. An inner sleeve is disposed within the inner barrel and includes at least one frangible region that allows the inner sleeve to break so that coring operations can continue after the occurrence of a core jam.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions comprising zirconium amino acid complexes suspended in a hydrophobic carrier; and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Gadgets integrate with spreadsheets and the spreadsheet calculation engine. A gadget is bound to a range of cells (one or more) within a sheet. When one or more of the cells of the bound range is accessed (e.g. selected, hovered over, edited, deleted, added), the gadget is notified. The gadget may use this information for updating a display rendered by the gadget and/or performing some other action. The gadget uses an Application Programming Interface (API) to create the binding, communicate with the spreadsheet, and perform actions in the spreadsheet. The gadget is a Named Item object within the spreadsheet such that the gadget may be viewed/displayed differently from other objects. Out of date requests from the gadget are attempted to be detected and prevented from being processed such that the gadget is not acting on the latest data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, two or more links, coupled to a first service provider (SP) that charges a price for utilization of services according to a first pricing structure, are combined to form a single virtual combined link. Each of the two or more links of the virtual combined link and one or more other links, coupled to a second SP that charges a price for utilization of services according to a second pricing structure, are monitored to obtain link data. The link data for the two of more links of the virtual combined link is merged to form link data for the virtual combined link. Data distribution among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links is optimized to distribute data among the virtual combined link and the one or more other links in a manner that minimizes cost.

Abstract: Methods and devices for repairing a cardiac valve. A minimally invasive procedure includes creating an access in the apex region of the heart through which one or more instruments may be inserted. The device can implant artificial heart valve chordae tendineae into cardiac valve leaflet tissues to restore proper leaflet function and prevent reperfusion. The device punctures the apex of the heart and travels through the ventricle. The tip of the device rests on the defective valve and punctures the valve leaflet. A suture or a suture/guide wire combination is inserted, securing the top of the leaflet to the apex of the heart. A resilient element or shock absorber mechanism adjacent to the outside of the apex of the heart minimizes the linear travel of the device in response to the beating of the heart or opening/closing of the valve.

Abstract: Described herein are oral care compositions comprising (i) a magnesium alkali metal silicate complex clay, and (ii) an orally acceptable anionic polymer, in a dentifrice base, which compositions are useful for alleviating dental sensitivity. Also provided for, are methods of making and using the compositions described herein.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions comprising zirconium amino acid complexes suspended in a hydrophobic carrier; and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Methods and devices for repairing a cardiac valve. A minimally invasive procedure includes creating an access in the apex region of the heart through which one or more instruments may be inserted. The device can implant artificial heart valve chordae tendineae into cardiac valve leaflet tissues to restore proper leaflet function and prevent reperfusion. The device punctures the apex of the heart and travels through the ventricle. The tip of the device rests on the defective valve and punctures the valve leaflet. A suture or a suture/guide wire combination is inserted, securing the top of the leaflet to the apex of the heart. A resilient element or shock absorber mechanism adjacent to the outside of the apex of the heart minimizes the linear travel of the device in response to the beating of the heart or opening/closing of the valve.