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A sewing ring (12) has a diameter commensurate with a diameter of a removed mitral valve. Skirts (44, 46) of mesh or net material extend downward from the sewing ring and line the walls of an associated vessel (58). Basal chordae simulating structures (34, 36) in the form of elongated strips of mesh or netting, rods, or the like extend from the skirt to an underside of each of two valve leaflets (14, 16). Marginal chordae simulating structures (30, 32) extend between each leaflet and the basal chordae simulating structure. The sewing ring (12) is stitched to an open end of a vessel and inner ends of the basal chordae simulating structure are stitched or stapled (50, 52) to associated papillary musculature (54, 56). In this manner, the papillary muscles assist in controlling the timing and control of the mitral valve.

A dynamic stochastic optimal power flow (DSOPF) control system is described for performing multi-objective optimal control capability in complex electrical power systems. The DSOPF system and method replaces the traditional adaptive critic designs (ACDs) and secondary voltage control, and provides a coordinated AC power flow control solution to the smart grid operation in an environment with high short-term uncertainty and variability. The DSOPF system and method is used to provide nonlinear optimal control, where the control objective is explicitly formulated to incorporate power system economy, stability and security considerations. The system and method dynamically drives a power system to its optimal operating point by continuously adjusting the steady-state set points sent by a traditional optimal power flow algorithm.

A driver circuit produces variable current output for an LED lighting system providing improved dimming capability and greater power efficiency when responding to industry standard lighting dimmers, through the use of an input voltage monitoring circuit which variably controls the current output of a switching regulator. Output current modulation methods such as analog, PWM, Pulse Frequency Modulation, or other digital modulation, and combination or hybrid methods such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,088,059 B2 may be employed. The current invention marries such output modulation techniques with a control method which is derived through intelligent monitoring of the input voltage waveform. The circuit and method described is adapted to higher current applications such as LED lighting systems using the latest high-power LEDs.

A flash vaporizer (34) provides a constant flow of vaporized hydrogen peroxide or other antimicrobial compounds for rapidly sterilizing large enclosures (10), such as rooms or buildings. The vaporizer includes a heated block (50) which defines an interior bore or bores (70, 72, 74). The flowpath created by the bore or bores increases in cross sectional area as the hydrogen peroxide passes through the block to accommodate the increase in volume during the conversion from liquid to gas. The vapor is injected into dry air in a duct that circulates it to the large enclosure.

A method, system, apparatus, or computer program product is presented for securing computational resources in a data processing system. A first user uses a first computational device, and a user security level is associated with the first user. Likewise, a second user uses a second computational device, and a user security level is associated with the second user. The computational resources on the first computational device are automatically reconfigured based on the second user security level of the second user. A computational security level may be assigned to a computational resource on the first computational device, and the computational security level is dynamically adjusted in response to detected network activity by the second computational device that is being used by the second user. Modified security-related parameters for reconfiguring computational resources on the first computational device are reconfigured based on the adjusted computational security level.

A light source (10) includes a light emitting component (32), such as a UV/blue light emitting diode or laser diode coated with a layer (60) of a phosphor material (64). The phosphor material converts a portion of the light emitted by the light emitting component to light of a longer wavelength, such as yellow light. The thickness d of the layer varies across the light emitting component in relation to the intensity of light emitted by the light emitting component. This maintains a uniform color of the emission from the light source while minimizing the loss in light intensity (brightness) due to the presence of the phosphor.

A database management system and method provides access to a data table having structured data and unstructured data. A user interface allows a user to issue instructions to the database management system such as to build an index based on the structured and unstructured data and to search the data table. An indexing logic generates an index structure by combining the structured and unstructured data. With this index structure, a single query can contain search conditions from both the structured data and the unstructured data. In this manner, efficiency for searching the data table for combined structured and unstructured conditions is improved.

This invention relates to a roofing panel for interconnection with one or more additional roofing panels. The roofing panel comprises a PV cell coupled to an inverter, and wireless (or optionally wired) power transfer circuitry for transmitting power to another roofing panel and/or the AC grid and/or to an AC inverter, and/or for receiving power from another roofing panel.

A removable data storage device is provided that is used with electronic devices using compact data storage capabilities. The removable data storage device includes memory for storing data files and a file management information that includes memory allocation information of the memory. A scan logic is provided that analyzes the file management information and generates file usage data of the memory. With th present invention, a removable data storage device can self-analyze its memory contents and determine, for example, types of files and memory space consumed by each file type in the memory.

A control circuit for a lighting system allows analog control over a first range of illumination intensities in which the intensity of the illumination source varies in proportion to the voltage level of the control signal. The circuit provides for improved dimming and color mixing capability by allowing pulse width or frequency modulation control in addition to analog control over a second range of illumination intensities.

The invention discloses a high-temperature three-dimensional digital image related measurement system and a high-temperature three-dimensional digital image related measurement method. The system comprises a digital camera, an imaging lens, band-pass optical filter, a monochromatic light source, a calibration board, a support system and a computer, wherein the support system consists of a triangular bracket, a guide rail and a translation stage; and the computer is used for acquiring a digital image and performing analysis processing. The measurement method comprises five steps. In the system, the band-pass optical filter is arranged in front of the imaging lens of the digital camera, so that the influence of the thermal radiation of a high-temperature object on the brightness enhancement of an acquired image of the camera can be reduced effectively. In the measurement, a measured object is lighted by adopting the monochromatic light source of which the lighting wavelength is positioned in a band-pass range of the band-pass optical filter. By using the system and the method, a brilliant image of the surface of the high-temperature object at the surface temperature of over 500 DEG C is acquired, wherein the image can be directly analyzed and processed by a three-dimensional digital image related method to acquire the three-dimensional morphology of the surface of the high-temperature object and a three-dimensional deformation field under the action of a thermal load. The system has a compact structure, is convenient to operate, and has a wide application range and high measurement precision.

Methods for producing an information carrier comprising the steps of: (1) providing an information carrier precursor comprising: a rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration comprising at least one constituent layer; and a layer or element capable of a human-readable or machine-readable change upon absorbing UV, visible or IR radiation, wherein at least one layer of the receiving layer configuration is opaque, porous, has the capability of being rendered substantially transparent upon penetration by a lacquer provided at the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration and comprises at least one pigment and at least one binder; (2) realizing a temporary transparentization pattern by applying a vaporizable liquid pattern-wise or integrally to the receiving layer configuration; (3) writing with a light source a first pattern in the layer or element capable of human readable or machine-readable change; and in any order evaporating the vaporizable liquid; applying a second pattern to the outermost layer of the receiving layer configuration; and realizing a permanent transparentization pattern by applying a lacquer pattern-wise or integrally to the receiving layer configuration; with the proviso that the lacquer is applied after the vaporizable liquid has been evaporated, thereby producing an information carrier.

The invention provides an integrated internal circulation type denitrification and decarburization bio-membrane reactor and an operating method thereof. The main body of the reactor consists of an anoxic zone on the lower part, an aerobic zone on the upper part and a settling zone on the periphery of the aerobic zone; a composite filler is filled in the anoxic zone, and a water inlet pipe is communicated with the bottom of the anoxic zone; the aerobic zone is partitioned into a filler zone for adding a carrier on the upper part and a mud-water mixing zone on the lower part by adopting an orifice plate, the anoxic zone and the aerobic zone are partitioned through an impermeable partition plate, and a plurality of aeration pipes are arranged at the bottom of the aerobic zone and provided with air inlet pores; and the settling zone consists of three parts, namely a clean water zone, a contact settling zone and a sludge returning zone which are sequentially arranged from top to bottom, wherein the bottom of the sludge returning zone is provided with a sludge returning seam and communicated with the bottom of the aerobic zone. The reactor realizes zero power consumption in sludge returning, and is compact in structure; and a back flushing system is not required in the contact settling zone, and additional agents and carbon sources are not required, so that the reactor is low in running cost.

A software-integrated disposable kit contains a series of sterile packages which hold instrumented surgical tools, surgical accessories, user input computer controlling peripherals (e.g. mouse, keyboard), markers, and a one time use digital medium. When image guided surgery is to be performed, the digital medium is inserted into the computer and the user interface is displayed. The digital medium stores a portion of the software which, in combination with software on the computer, provides all of the software necessary for full user functionality (e.g. display diagnostic image information, tracking surgical instruments, superimposition of surgical tools). At the end of a surgical procedure, the digital medium is deactivated or encrypted and the used surgical tools are then disposed of without reuse. The system allows the user to save relevant information obtained from the surgery (e.g. images, notes) on the digital medium which is encrypted against reuse and archived.

Food products, such as precooked meats, sausages, and the like are microbially decontaminated in their cooking packages to remove surface microorganism contamination from the packages. The cooking packages are removed and the food products optionally subjected to further processing, such as slicing, and then packaged in aseptic packaging. The microbial decontamination step, further processing and packaging are carried out in a clean room which is maintained to a high level of sterilization or disinfection to minimize or eliminate contamination of the food products with pathogenic microorganisms such as Listeria Monocytogenes. The food products thus leave the packaging plant with a much higher assurance of food safety than is found in a conventional packaging plant.

A multi-modality diagnostic imaging system includes a first imaging subsystem, such as a computed tomographic (CT) system, for performing a first imaging procedure on a subject. The first imaging system has a gantry that slides along rails. A second imaging subsystem, such as a nuclear medicine system (NUC), performs a second imaging procedure on a subject. The second imaging subsystem is separate from the first imaging system, but in the same room. The second imaging subsystem has a gantry or is gantryless. A patient couch supports a subject. The patient couch is supported on a couch support having vertical adjustment and horizontally fixed. In this manner, the patient is maintained in the same position for multiple types of scans using the same couch support without horizontal translation of the patient couch and patient.

An integrated respiratory monitor and imaging device apparatus (10) is provided. The apparatus is useful for establishing pre-operative and intra-operative breath hold congruency in patients and for other interventional work. The apparatus (10) includes a respiratory monitor system (12) and an imaging device (14). The respiratory monitor system is adapted to engage a patient and generate a respiratory signal representative of a breath hold level of the patient during a breath hold. The imaging device (14) is adapted to scan the patient during the breath hold and generate a volumetric image data set of the patient. The respiratory sensor and imaging device are operatively connected to associate the respiratory signal representative of the breath hold level of the patient together with the volumetric image data set of the patient. A data storage device (64) is provided for storing a set of respiratory signals in association with a corresponding set of volumetric image data sets in the subject apparatus (10). A scanner gating function is provided to center the image acquisition time at selected points in the respiratory cycle such as at a minimum to minimize motion artifacts in the resultant image.

A decubitus mat includes a plurality of individual cells (16) which are pressurized by air from an air supply (10) through air supply lines (12) and metering orifices (14). A polymer sensor/vent structure (20) is mounted on a top surface of each cell to be contacted by a body (22) resting on the mat. The sensor/vent structure defines a plurality of polymer-filled channels (28) and a vent valve (26) which is biased to a closed position. As the body heats the polymer, it undergoes a phase change and expands causing biasing forces (30) which bias the vent valve to open. When the vent valve opens, the air in the cell is released, providing an air flow to remove pooled moisture under the body. The vented cell collapses, transferring support to adjoining cells until it no longer contacts the body. Once removed from the body, the air flow in the cell cools the polymer, closing the vent, allowing the cell to re-pressurize. The polymer is selected such that the cells slightly over and under-deflate in each cycle, creating a massaging action.

A method and an apparatus is provided for determining the velocity vector, speed, and direction of moving vehicles traveling on roadways which change elevation and have curves. A camera mounted above a roadway observes at least one vehicles traveling in different directions on different roads. Each pixel in the two-dimensional optical image is mapped into a three-dimensional real world location to enable the moving vehicles to be analyzed in the three-dimensional real world as they travel on roads, which may change elevation and may have curves. The estimated vehicle velocities may be displayed on an image near the moving vehicle. Individual images with vehicle velocities may be posted on an Internet site. The sequence of optical images, or streaming video, with the displayed vehicle velocities may also be used for television news programs that show traffic moving on the roadways.

A centrifugal compressor assembly for compressing refrigerant in a 250-ton capacity or larger chiller system comprising a motor, preferably a compact, high energy density motor or permanent magnet motor, for driving a shaft at a range of sustained operating speeds under the control of a variable speed drive. Another embodiment of the centrifugal compressor assembly comprises a mixed flow impeller and a vaneless diffuser sized such that a final stage compressor operates with an optimal specific speed range for targeted combinations of head and capacity, while a non-final stage compressor operates above the optimum specific speed of the final stage compressor. Another embodiment of the centrifugal compressor assembly comprises an integrated inlet flow conditioning assembly comprising a flow conditioning nose, a plurality of inlet guide vanes and a flow conditioning body that positions inlet guide vanes to condition flow of refrigerant into an impeller to achieve a target approximately constant angle swirl distribution with minimal guide vane turning.

The invention provides a three-dimensional entity model reconstruction method based on dense point cloud data. The dense point cloud data is acquired by a laser 3D scanner; 3D laser scanning can rapidly acquire three-dimensional coordinate data of the surface of a measured object in a large-area and high-resolution manner; a rapid and high-precision modeling method is matched, so that the characteristics of rapidness, non-contact, initiative, accuracy and the like are highlighted, data obtained in real time has the characteristics of high accuracy, high density and the like, reconstruction ofa three-dimensional model becomes more convenient, a digital model of an actual object can be created in the virtual world, and rapid and high-accuracy three-dimensional entity model reconstruction based on dense point cloud data is achieved; according to the semantic-based feature extraction method, a large amount of working time is saved, the semi-automatic mode is adopted for operation, the feature extraction precision and accuracy are effectively improved, the cost is greatly reduced, and the precision of the reconstructed three-dimensional solid model is obviously improved.