Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for measuring the lateral curvature of the human spine to indicate the presence and degree of scoliosis and is useable by non-medical personnel and medical practitioners, including doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, nurses and the like. The system includes a low cost quick operating hand held device based on the operating structure of a standard computer mouse to immediately determine the curvature of the spine. The hand held device scans the length of a patient's spine by contacting the patient's back as it is drawn along the length of the spine to provide a reading of the lateral curvature as X-Y coordinate information which is then graphed by a computer software program which can be run on a standard PC of the desktop, laptop, tablet or other type. The software program allows repeated readings to be saved and compared thereby providing a patient history over time.

Abstract: Devices and methods for stabilizing a lead in a cardiac vein.

Abstract: Real-time communication of multimedia data over heterogeneous networks that may include constant delay networks, variable delay networks that have a common reckoning of time, and variable delay networks that do not have a common reckoning of time. If there are any variable delay networks in which there is no common reckoning of time in the heterogeneous networks, a common reckoning of time is established in each of those networks. Then, a constant delay network is emulated for each variable delay network using the specific common time reckoning present in each variable delay network.

Abstract: A group identifier represents an association between each of a number of different abbreviated namespace identifiers with a corresponding hierarchical namespace (e.g., an XML namespace). A hierarchically-structured document (e.g., an XML document) is accessed by a computing system that determines that the group identifier is associated with the hierarchically-structured document. Hence, when using the abbreviated namespace identifiers in the hierarchically-structured document, the computing system knows that the corresponding namespace is associated with the designated portions of the hierarchically-structured document. Also, a schema description language document (e.g., an XSD document) may specify multiple target namespaces for a single element. Accordingly, groupings of elements may be included in different namespaces to creating overlapping or even nested namespaces.

Abstract: An intraoral aversion device to assist a user in quitting an undesirable behavior such as tobacco smoking, tobacco chewing, use of snuff, illicit drug use, excessive alcohol consumption, excessive food consumption, and/or other undesirable activity facilitated via the mouth. The aversion device may be wholly or partially configured to be disposed in the user's mouth, for example. The aversion device may include a detector and a output device, wherein the detector is configured to detect a parameter indicative of the user engaging in the habit or undesirable activity. If (and only if) the detector detects such a parameter, the output device delivers a negative stimulus to the user, thus providing negative feedback and creating an incentive for the user to limit if not eliminate the undesirable activity.

Abstract: Provided is a messaging system capable of detecting and processing at least a portion of a malformed message, e.g., a message that previously failed to process. An identifier and state information for the message can be logged. Based on the stored information, a determination can be made that the message previously failed to process. The message can then progressively be de-featured until the message can be processed or until the message is determined to be poisonous, whereupon it can be deleted or otherwise removed from the message stream permanently or temporarily-including moving the message to storage for operator inspection or for delayed delivery.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for automatic calibration of an acoustic system. The acoustic system may include a source A/V device, calibration computing device, and multiple rendering devices. The calibration system may include a calibration component attached to each rendering device and a source calibration module. The calibration component on each rendering device includes a microphone. The source calibration module includes distance and optional angle calculation tools for automatically determining a distance between the rendering device and a specified reference point upon return of the test signal from the calibration component.

Abstract: Compounds, compositions and methods are provided which are useful in the treatment of diseases through the inhibition of sodium ion flux through voltage-dependent sodium channels. More particularly, the invention provides pyrazolopyrimidines, compositions and methods that are useful in the treatment of central or peripheral nervous system disorders, particularly pain and chronic pain by blocking sodium channels associated with the onset or recurrance of the indicated conditions. The compounds, compositions and methods of the present invention are of particular use for treating neuropathic or inflammatory pain by the inhibition of ion flux through a channel that includes a PN3 subunit.

Abstract: A method and system for retrieving and maintaining presentation data in a presentation cache is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a presentation cache object provides a presentation cache with multiple cache entries. Each entry contains an indication of the format of the presentation data and the presentation data stored in that particular format. In addition, other information, such as the advisees of advisory connections for notification of cache updates, can be maintained. The presentation cache object responds to requests for retrieving source object data by returning presentation data cached within the presentation cache when it is available. In addition, the presentation cache object determines when it should delegate requests to the source object and when it can satisfy them on its own. The presentation cache object can return presentation data to a requesting client program even if the server program implementing the source object is unavailable or not running.

Abstract: A heat sink may be clamped to a thermoelectric cooler and vapor chamber using a U-shaped retention band. The band may attach underneath the vapor chamber, extending around the thermoelectric cooler, and over a heat sink. The heat sink may include a plate to distribute the force of the band across the heat sink. Bolts may be utilized to transfer the force from the free ends of the U-shaped retention band to a vapor chamber support frame. Thus, in some embodiments of the present invention, a thermoelectric cooler may be clamped to a heat sink without wasting heat transfer area through the use of bolts, without unnecessary bending, and without requiring a relatively thick base on the heat sink.

Abstract: A heat sink assembly may be plugged into a receiving element in a printed circuit board. A retention element includes upper and lower portions. The lower portion may be plug locked onto a printed circuit board. The upper portion then telescopes into and releaseably locks in the lower portion. The upper portion may include a rod which may be rotated to free the upper portion from the lower portion for disassembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods that determine intent for received data (e.g., email, voice, graphics . . . ) and respond to the data based on the intent. The systems and methods employ various combinations of features based on shallow and deep linguistic analysis (e.g., semantic and syntactic) to yield very high accuracy. The systems and methods analyze and categorize received data to locate data that can include intent. This data can be further refined by extracting features related to the intent. The features can be utilized by a classifier to determine the intent. If the intent warrants a response, the data are further scrutinized and reformulated to generate a description that is indicative of the intent. The reformulation can include representing the features in a logical form, transforming the form and generating a description of the intent that can be presented to a user visually and/or audibly.

Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as part of a user-level transaction. An application specifies that the operations on a file, or the file system operations of a thread, should be handled as part of a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a component within the file system manages the operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component, which may be a resource manager for distributed transactions, provides data isolation by providing multiple versions of a file by tracking copies of pages that have changed, such that transactional readers do not receive changes to a file made by transactional writers, until the transactional writer commits the transaction and the reader reopens the file. The component also handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery.

Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as part of a user-level transaction. An application specifies that the operations on a file, or the file system operations of a thread, should be handled as part of a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a component within the file system manages the operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component, which may be a resource manager for distributed transactions, provides data isolation by providing multiple versions of a file by tracking copies of pages that have changed, such that transactional readers do not receive changes to a file made by transactional writers, until the transactional writer commits the transaction and the reader reopens the file. The component also handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery.

Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as part of a user-level transaction. An application specifies that the operations on a file, or the file system operations of a thread, should be handled as part of a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a component within the file system manages the operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component, which may be a resource manager for distributed transactions, provides data isolation by providing multiple versions of a file by tracking copies of pages that have changed, such that transactional readers do not receive changes to a file made by transactional writers, until the transactional writer commits the transaction and the reader reopens the file. The component also handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery.

Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations should be handled in a transaction, and is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages operations consistent with transactional behavior. The component provides data isolation by providing multiple file versions, such that transactional readers do not receive changes until after the transaction commits and the reader reopens the file. The component handles namespace logging operations in a multiple-level log that facilitates logging and recovery. Page data is logged separate from the main log, with signatures establishing whether pages were fully flushed to disk. Namespace isolation via isolation directories, allows a transaction to see its operational effects but not effects of other uncommitted transactions.

Abstract: Devices and methods for stabilizing a lead in a cardiac vein.

Abstract: A robot for imaging and excision of two-dimensional fluorescent gels. An array detector is mounted in the roof of the robot to image down onto a gel dish placed on a light table. Fluorescence is excited by illuminating the light table from below with light emitting diodes mounted under the main bed of the apparatus. It is therefore possible to perform gel fluorescence analysis and coring (excision) using the same machine. The integration is based on a transmission mode optical design, distinct from prior art scanners and imagers which are based on reflection mode designs. This approach allows the conventional layout of a microarraying or picking robot to be maintained, avoiding unnecessary redesign of other robot functions associated with well plate and container handling. The apparatus may also be used for contrast imaging of non-fluorescent gels.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating a damaged intervertebral disc to reduce or eliminate associated back pain. Dynamic bias devices and reinforcement devices are disclosed, which may be used individually or in combination, to eliminate nerve impingement associated with the damaged disc, and/or to reinforce the damaged disc, while permitting relative movement of the vertebrae adjacent the damaged disc.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating a damaged intervertebral disc to reduce or eliminate associated back pain. The present invention provides disc reinforcement therapy (DRT) which involves implanting one or more reinforcement members in and preferably around the annulus of the disc. The reinforcement members may be used to stabilize the annulus and/or compresses a portion of the annulus so as to reduce a bulge and/or close a fissure. The implantable devices and associated delivery tools may incorporate heating capabilities to thermally treat the annular tissue. Alternatively or in combination, other devices may be specifically employed for such thermal treatment.