Abstract: An end effector for use by a surgeon to staple an anatomical structure of a patient during a surgical procedure includes an anvil and a cartridge. Each of the anvil and the cartridge has a face that is positionable on the anatomical structure. The anvil is coupled to the cartridge at first and second ends. The anvil is movable relative to the cartridge to define a first gap between the faces at the first ends that is different from a second gap between the faces at the second ends.

Abstract: A rope pulling apparatus including a drum for having rope wound therearound and a drive apparatus for providing power to the rope pulling apparatus and driving the drum's rotations. The rope pulling apparatus also includes a speed control apparatus monitoring the rope being pulled and wound on the drum and a controller for determining the speed of the rope and adjusting the drive apparatus to speed up or slow down the rotation of the drum responsive to the speed of the rope. A method of winding rope on a drum at a constant rope speed. The method includes winding a rope at a desired constant rope speed onto a drum with a rope pulling apparatus and determining a speed of the rope. The method also includes adjusting power of the rope pulling apparatus to achieve the desired constant speed.

Abstract: An extendable trailer including a nose end for selectively securing the extendable trailer to a vehicle wherein the nose end includes an extendable frame portion. The extendable trailer also includes a tail end having a primary frame to support objects to be transported on the extendable trailer and a central tube member supported by the primary frame. The central tube member includes an inside portion. The extendable trailer further includes a telescopic tube member of the nose end that slidably engages the central tube member. The extendable trailer also includes a centralizer disposed on an insertion end of the telescopic tube member that engages with the inside portion of the central tube member to help centrally position the telescopic tube member in the central tube member when the telescopic tube member is extended into and out of the central tube member. A method of transporting objects using the extendable trailer.

Abstract: A rope pulling apparatus including a drum for having rope wound therearound and a drive apparatus for providing power to the rope pulling apparatus and driving the drum’s rotations. The rope pulling apparatus also includes a speed control apparatus monitoring the rope being pulled and wound on the drum and a controller for determining the speed of the rope and adjusting the drive apparatus to speed up or slow down the rotation of the drum responsive to the speed of the rope. A method of winding rope on a drum at a constant rope speed. The method includes winding a rope at a desired constant rope speed onto a drum with a rope pulling apparatus and determining a speed of the rope. The method also includes adjusting power of the rope pulling apparatus to achieve the desired constant speed.

Abstract: A working end of a catheter includes at least one therapeutic element, such as a resistive heating element, usable to deliver energy for ligating, or reducing the diameter of, a hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, the catheter includes a lumen to accommodate a guide wire or to allow fluid delivery. In certain embodiments, a balloon is inflated to place resistive element(s) into apposition with a hollow anatomical structure and to occlude the structure. Indexing devices and methods are also disclosed for successively treating portions of the hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, marks along the catheter shaft provide visual verification to the physician of the relative position of the therapeutic element of the catheter. Embodiments of indexing devices may include pairs of rings and/or hinged arms that move a catheter a desired indexed position between successive treatments.

Abstract: A working end of a catheter includes at least one therapeutic element, such as a resistive heating element, usable to deliver energy for ligating, or reducing the diameter of, a hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, the catheter includes a lumen to accommodate a guide wire or to allow fluid delivery. In certain embodiments, a balloon is inflated to place resistive element(s) into apposition with a hollow anatomical structure and to occlude the structure. Indexing devices and methods are also disclosed for successively treating portions of the hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, marks along the catheter shaft provide visual verification to the physician of the relative position of the therapeutic element of the catheter. Embodiments of indexing devices may include pairs of rings and/or hinged arms that move a catheter a desired indexed position between successive treatments.

Abstract: A computer system for validating an account to be used in an electronic payment includes a processor coupled to a memory device. The computer system is programmed to receive an account validation web request from a bill payment originator. The account validation web request includes account details. The computer system is further programmed to process the account validation web request to parse the account details, validate the account details associated with the account validation web request using at least one validation rule, and transmit an account validation web response to the bill payment originator.

Abstract: A computer system for validating an account to be used in an electronic payment includes a processor coupled to a memory device. The computer system is programmed to receive an account validation web request from a bill payment originator. The account validation web request includes account details. The computer system is further programmed to process the account validation web request to parse the account details, validate the account details associated with the account validation web request using at least one validation rule, and transmit an account validation web response to the bill payment originator.

Abstract: A disposable protective sleeve for an equine endoscope made from thin, flexible plastic used to cover the endoscope during examination of an equine patient in order to prevent cross contamination between equine patients. The distal end may optionally have a small pocket for collection of samples, such as mucous, for submission to a laboratory for testing.

Abstract: A computer system for validating an account to be used in an electronic payment includes a processor coupled to a memory device. The computer system is programmed to receive an account validation web request from a bill payment originator. The account validation web request includes account details. The computer system is further programmed to process the account validation web request to parse the account details, validate the account details associated with the account validation web request using at least one validation rule, and transmit an account validation web response to the bill payment originator.

Abstract: A working end of a catheter includes at least one therapeutic element, such as a resistive heating element, usable to deliver energy for ligating, or reducing the diameter of, a hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, the catheter includes a lumen to accommodate a guide wire or to allow fluid delivery. In certain embodiments, a balloon is inflated to place resistive element(s) into apposition with a hollow anatomical structure and to occlude the structure. Indexing devices and methods are also disclosed for successively treating portions of the hollow anatomical structure. In certain examples, marks along the catheter shaft provide visual verification to the physician of the relative position of the therapeutic element of the catheter. Embodiments of indexing devices may include pairs of rings and/or hinged arms that move a catheter a desired indexed position between successive treatments.

Abstract: A mechanism for selectively disabling and enabling read caching based on past performance of the cache and current read/write requests. The system improves overall performance by using an autonomic algorithm to disable read caching for regions of backend disk storage (i.e., the backstore) that have had historically low cache hit ratios. The result is that more cache becomes available for workloads with larger hit ratios, and less time and machine cycles are spent searching the cache for data that is unlikely to be there.

Abstract: A method for producing a bilayer, the method comprising: (a) providing a hydrated support and a hydrophilic body immersed in a hydrophobic medium; wherein a first monolayer of amphipathic molecules is formed on an interface between the hydrophobic medium and the hydrophilic body and a second monolayer of amphipathic molecules is formed on an interface between the hydrophobic medium and the hydrated support; and (b) bringing the first monolayer into contact with the second monolayer to form a bilayer of amphipathic molecules, wherein at least part of a cell membrane, comprising cell membrane constituents, is provided in or on the hydrated support and/or in the hydrophilic body, and such that constituents of the cell membrane incorporate into the bilayer during or after the bilayer formation. A bilayer produced by the method of the invention, and uses of the bilayer.

Abstract: An intercooled gas turbine is provided having an air cooled heat exchanger and a chiller disposed to remove heat from the cooling medium of the intercooler heat exchanger. During peak hours when the turbine is in operation, the air cooled heat exchanger is used primarily to cool the cooling medium of the intercooler heat exchanger. During off peak hours when the turbine is idle, the air cooled heat exchanger is used to remove heat from the condenser of a chiller system associated with a gas turbine inlet air cooling system. An additional liquid to liquid heat exchanger may be provided in-line between the intercooler heat exchanger and the air cooled heat exchanger to further cool the intercooler heat exchanger cooling medium using chilled water before the cooling medium passes back into the intercooler heat exchanger. The chilled water may be provided directly from the chillers, or from a thermal energy storage tank, or from the cooling coils of a turbine inlet air cooling system.

Abstract: An automated analyzer for analyzing patient samples. The analyzer includes a plurality of cuvettes, which allow the samples to be mixed with various reagents. The analyzer includes one or more detectors, including a detector adapted to detect luminescence of the reaction mixture in the cuvettes. The analyzer allows for various diagnostic assays to be performed on a single system, and provides for high-sensitivity analysis at faster speeds.

Abstract: A method for producing a bilayer, the method comprising: (a) providing a hydrated support and a hydrophilic body immersed in a hydrophobic medium; wherein a first monolayer of amphipathic molecules is formed on an interface between the hydrophobic medium and the hydrophilic body and a second monolayer of amphipathic molecules is formed on an interface between the hydrophobic medium and the hydrated support; and (b) bringing the first monolayer into contact with the second monolayer to form a bilayer of amphipathic molecules, wherein at least part of a cell membrane, comprising cell membrane constituents, is provided in or on the hydrated support and/or in the hydrophilic body, and such that constituents of the cell membrane incorporate into the bilayer during or after the bilayer formation. A bilayer produced by the method of the invention, and uses of the bilayer.

Abstract: A fluid handling system adapted to provide storage and supply of a number of liquid solutions to an automatic clinical analyzer having three different bottle-like containers, a collapsible plastic-metal-plastic pouch having a mouth-like opening, a fitment to be sealed within mouth-like opening a septum within the fitment, and open meal band or cap to seal the septum into the fitment.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method to optimize load distribution across logical and physical resources in a storage system. An apparatus in accordance with the invention may include an availability module and an allocation module. The availability module may dynamically assign values to resources in a hierarchical tree structure. Each value may correspond to an availability parameter such as allocated volumes, current resource utilization, and historic resource utilization. The allocation module may serially process the values and allocate a load to a least busy resource in the hierarchical tree structure based on the assigned values.

Abstract: A fluid handling system adapted to provide storage and supply of a number of liquid solutions to an automatic clinical analyzer having three different bottle-like containers, a collapsible plastic-metal-plastic pouch having a mouth-like opening, a fitment to be sealed within mouth-like opening a septum within the fitment, and open meal band or cap to seal the septum into the fitment.