Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for preserving cluster level serialization during file server serialization reinitialization. The apparatus includes a permission request module, a cluster negotiation module, and a completion notification module. The permission request module communicates a permission request to a remote file server in anticipation of a reinitialization of a local file server. The cluster negotiation module implements a reinitialization protocol on the remote file server during the reinitialization of the local file server. The completion notification module notifies the remote file server when the reinitialization of the local file server is complete. The apparatus, system, and method beneficially facilitate continued serialization negotiation among the remote file servers during the reinitialization of the serialization data on the local file server and, thereby, preserve the integrity of shared data resources.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for suspending a data access request during serialization reinitialization of a file server. The apparatus includes a request recognition module, an availability module, and a suspension module. The request recognition module recognizes a request to be processed by a file server. The availability module determines if the file server is available. The suspension module suspends the data access request if the file server is not available due to serialization reinitialization. In one embodiment, the suspension module implements a hardware interrupt delay loop to suspend an interruptible data access request, such as an application request. In another embodiment, the suspension module queues a non-interruptible data access request and notifies the operating system, for example, that the non-interruptible request has been initiated.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves reconfigurable circuits that include an asynchronous data path with asynchronous control and at least one logic element coupled with the asynchronous data path that allows the circuit to be configured to more than one logical implementation through data and control token. In one particular example, the asynchronous data path with asynchronous control includes an interconnection of memory elements, such as latches, with each memory element including a corresponding asynchronous control element, such as a GasP element. One or more logical elements are coupled at one or more points of the data path, such coupling may involve feed-back, feed-forward, or combinations of both, and may include external data connections. Through distribution of data items and control tokens to the asynchronous data path with asynchronous control, the fixed logical coupling to the data path may be reconfigured to provide various logical arrangements.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to LINGO-1 polypeptides, LINGO-1 polypeptide/ligand complexes, crystals of LINGO-1 polypeptides, crystals of LINGO-1 polypeptide/ligand complexes, and related methods and software systems.

Abstract: An airflow control system for a blower providing the combustion air for an HVAC system comprises a single phase AC blower motor driving a blower wheel within a blower housing, a vacuum sensor mounted to the housing to sense the vacuum or pressure differential created by the blower as it operates, and a controller that receives as its only feedback signal a variable signal from the vacuum sensor which signal is proportional to the sensed vacuum within the housing and provides an output voltage to the blower motor to adjust the blower motor speed to thereby preferably produce a constant air flow.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to manage demand, service level agreements, hardware and software assets, projects, labor, knowledge and provisioning resources in hosted applications. An asset manager coupled to host servers and a network, manages the host servers and software to determine the demand for new assets and allocate available assets to meet the demand; determine assets not in compliance with existing software licenses; determine and compare actual service level metrics with the target service level metrics; and determine availability of a patch or upgrade for selected software and instances of the selected software among the assets. The asset manager may be coupled to other managers, e.g., contract, product, work and/or accounting managers, to monitor service level metrics and/or costs.

Abstract: The conservation of energy in the glass industries via the use of heat shields to decrease the amount of energy lost during transportation from the forming process to the annealing process. For maximum effectiveness, the thermal shields are made of materials whose surface has an emissivity of, but not limited too, less than 0.3. They are mounted from, or adjacent to, the means of conveyance of the glass material such that their use will not prohibit the normal production of such glass product. Their installation shall include the means for quick removal or relocation in case of production upsets. The heat shields reflect the radiant energy that is emitted from the high temperature glass back onto itself, and adjacent products, in a manner such as to reduce the loss of energy from such product that may subsequently be necessary for the annealing process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning the dento-facial region of a human. In one embodiment the method comprises providing an alignment appliance containing one or more optical elements; causing or instructing a human to cause the optical elements of the alignment device to come into contact with the dento-facial region, measuring or instructing the human to measure data regarding one or more characteristics of optical elements of the alignment appliance; modifying or causing to modify the alignment appliance to come into contact with the dento-facial region at different areas or by applying different forces to align the one or more teeth and repeating or causing to repeat one or more of steps of the method to align the dento-facial region of a human.

Abstract: Force magnitudes and/or directions may be determined objectively using orthodontic brackets having an elastomeric member which allows one portion of the bracket to be resiliently moveable relative to at least on other portion of the bracket. In a preferred embodiment, the brackets include a lower base member, an upper bracket member, and an elastomeric layer interposed between the lower base and upper bracket members. The orthodontic bracket is advantageously employed as part of a system whereby the orthodontic bracket includes a force indicator which distorts in response to relative movement between the at least one and other portions of the bracket to provide an indication of force applied to the bracket. An optical detector may be provided to optically detect the indicator and issue an output signal indicative of the relative resilient movement between the lower base and upper bracket members.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for reinitializing serialization data in a file server. The apparatus includes a failure recognition module, a discard module, and a serialization module. The failure recognition module recognizes a file system serialization failure on a file server. Upon recognition of the serialization failure, the discard module discards existing serialization data located in a first memory address space, such as a file server address space. In certain embodiments, the entire file server address space may be destroyed by the operating system. The serialization module then generates new serialization data from existing connection/position data. The connection/position data is located in a second address space, such as a client address space, that is maintained during the serialization reinitialization process.

Abstract: A blower housing may be used with a climate control furnace or with a water heater and provides cooling of the motor that rotates the blower fan and also provides dilution and cooling of exhaust gases drawn from the furnace or water heater. The housing is constructed with one side that is positioned in a single plane that is easily mounted to a flat surface of the furnace or water heater and can be sealed against the surface. The housing is provided with an interior heat shield that insulates the exterior surface of the housing and with a noise muffler.

Abstract: A stand-in payment and transaction facilitator system is provided. A merchant registers their details with a transaction facilitator and is assigned a merchant identifier. When a mobile user transacts with the merchant, the merchant identifier is communicated to the user's mobile device. At the payment step, the transaction facilitator uses the merchant's details referenced by their identifier to complete the payment portion of the transaction using any non-cash payment mechanism or service of the users choosing. The transaction facilitator offers for-purchase items from the merchants. The merchants use preferred payment providers. Communication devices are used to select for-purchase items from the transaction facilitator. The transaction facilitator communicates payment information received from the communication device to a financial transaction network for payment in the transaction to purchase the for-purchase item.

Abstract: A three-dimensional structure of human protein kinase C theta (PKC?) can be used in methods of designing an agent that interacts with PKC?. The agent can be an inhibitor of PKC? activity.

Abstract: Estrogen receptor ligands, estrogen receptor polypeptide/ligand complexes, crystals of estrogen receptor polypeptide/ligand complexes, and related methods and software systems are disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus and article of manufacture for processing electronic rebates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a purchase identifier is linked to a purchase of a product. The purchase identifier is listed on a receipt upon the purchase of the product or contained in an electronic mail message sent to an electronic mail address accessible using a user computer system. Information is then received via a network from a user of the user computer system to complete a rebate claim for the purchased product. The received information is verified to determine whether the purchase identifier was provided. The rebate claim is granted if the received information is verified as correct.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for analyzing images of fiducials that provide an indication of the forces and/or torques applied to an orthodontic bracket. The mass of each of the pixels forming the fiducial image are multiplied by the square of the distance of the pixel along the image's x axis, the product of the distances of the pixel along the image's x and y axes, and the square of the distance of the pixel along the image's y axis. The second order moments of inertia about the centroid of the fiducial are calculated and used to form a first matrix. The first matrix is diagonalized into a second matrix, from which the fiducial 's first and second principal axes are determined. These axes are then used to measure the size of the fiducial in the image.

Abstract: A method for processing electronic rebates is disclosed. In one embodiment, a purchase identifier is linked to a purchase of a product. The purchase identifier is listed on a receipt upon the purchase of the product or contained in an electronic mail message sent to an electronic mail address accessible using a user computer system. Information is then received via a network from a user of the user computer system to complete a rebate claim for the purchased product. The received information is verified to determine whether the purchase identifier was provided. The rebate claim is granted if the received information is verified as correct.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for preserving connection/position data integrity during reinitialization of serialization information in a file server. The apparatus includes a completion rights module, a completion termination module, and a postponement module. The completion rights module grants a completion right to a sensitive process, which is characterized by an associated period of data instability. The completion termination module terminates a grant of the completion right to the sensitive process in anticipation of a reinitialization of a file server. The completion right may be terminated after the connection/position data is stable or, if necessary, in response to completion of a time out period. The postponement module postpones the reinitialization of the file server and the serialization information until after the completion rights are terminated.

Abstract: Methods and related apparatus for positioning and aligning any portion of the dento-facial region of a person. In one embodiment the method includes (a) providing or measuring any aspect of one or more alignment appliances to a person; (b) casting a shadow or making a mark on one or more areas of the dento-facial region of the person or the one or more alignment appliances in close proximity to one or more areas of the dento-facial region of the person with one or more light sources or marking devices; (c) measuring and analyzing data regarding one or more of the size, shape, length, and position of the one or more shadows or marks relative to other shadows or marks, one or more areas of the dento-facial region of the person or the one or more alignment appliances to obtain data; and (e) adjusting or replacing the alignment appliance or modifying the dento-facial alignment treatment plan of the person to align one or more areas of the dento-facial region of the person.

Abstract: A blower for a high efficiency furnace is provided with an increased interior space for accommodating an impeller of maximum practicable diameter. The blower includes a blower motor and a blower housing having a bottom piece and a top piece assembling with the bottom piece to define an interior of the blower housing. The top piece includes an annular lower support portion for supporting the blower motor and an annular upper portion extending above and around the lower portion. The upper portion has an outer peripheral edge and lugs extending outward beyond the outer peripheral edge. The lugs have lug holes to receive mechanical fasteners to secure the blower housing to an external device. The head of the mechanical fasteners are positioned above the lugs on the upper portion of the top piece. In this arrangement the diameter of the bottom piece is not limited by a need to accommodate spacing for the head of the mechanical fastener.