Author: claimsbot

1. A method of optimizing an operation of a rotorcraft, the rotorcraft having a tail rotor drive shaft, the method comprising:
measuring an actual usage of the tail rotor drive shaft during operation of the rotorcraft, the actual usage including at least a torque measurement;
adjusting a life of the tail rotor drive shaft based upon the measuring of the actual usage.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the life of the tail rotor drive shaft includes crediting additional life of the tail rotor drive shaft.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the life of the tail rotor drive shaft includes debiting life of the tail rotor drive shaft.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting the life of the tail rotor drive shaft includes lengthening an inspection period of the tail rotor drive shaft.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
configuring the tail rotor drive shaft based upon a defined life usage, the defined life usage being based upon an accumulation of torque cycles experienced by the tail rotor drive shaft during operation of the rotorcraft.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the actual usage includes accumulating and storing data pertaining to a torque experienced by the tail rotor drive shaft during operation.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the actual usage includes using a tail rotor drive shaft torque measuring sensor system.
8. A method of determining a main rotor mast torque during operation of a rotorcraft, the method comprising:
measuring a tail rotor drive shaft torque during operation of the rotorcraft;
deriving a main rotor mast torque from the measured tail rotor drive shaft torque and a total torque output of an engine, the engine having a main rotor mast output and a tail rotor drive shaft output.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of deriving the main rotor mast torque further includes factoring a power consumed by an auxiliary system.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of measuring the tail rotor drive shaft torque is performed by a tail rotor drive shaft torque measuring sensor system.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of measuring the tail rotor drive shaft torque is performed by a measuring a torque on a forward most segment of a plurality of tail rotor drive shaft segments.
12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of measuring the tail rotor drive shaft torque is performed by a measuring a torsional deflection of the tail rotor drive shaft.
13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
communicating the main rotor mast torque to a health monitoring system.
14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
communicating the tail rotor drive shaft torque to a health monitoring system.
15. A system configured for determining a main rotor mast torque during operation of a rotorcraft, the system comprising:
a tail rotor drive shaft sensor system configured for measuring a torque in a tail rotor drive shaft;
an engine output sensor configured for deriving a total output torque of an engine; and
a processor in data communication with the tail rotor drive shaft sensor system and the engine output sensor, the processor being configured for determining the main rotor mast torque based upon the total output torque of the engine and the measured torque in the tail rotor drive shaft.
16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:
a display in data communication with the processor, the display being configured for displaying to a pilot the torque in the tail rotor drive shaft.
17. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:
a display in data communication with the processor, the display being configured for displaying to a pilot the main rotor mast torque.
18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:
a health and usage monitoring system in data communication with the processor, the health and usage monitoring system being configured to accumulate the main rotor mast torque data.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance; and
the at least one mote applying information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
the at least one mote responding to different mechanical disturbance characteristics than the at least one other mote.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
the at least one mote responding to the mechanical disturbance with information about one or more of an intensity of the disturbance, frequency, tone, andor pitch of the disturbance, mote identification, mote status, or location of the mote or motes that detected the disturbance.
8. (canceled)
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one mote responding to the mechanical disturbance with information about one or more of an intensity of the disturbance, frequency, tone, andor pitch of the disturbance, mote identification, mote status, or location of the mote or motes that detected the disturbance further comprises:
the at least one mote communicating to one or more neighboring motes the one or more of an intensity of the disturbance, frequency, tone, andor pitch of the disturbance, mote identification, mote status, or location of the mote or motes that detected the disturbance.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance further comprises:
the at least one mote applying a sensor element tuned to one or more particular mechanical wave frequencies.
11. (canceled)
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance further comprises:
the at least one mote detecting one or more of a strength, frequency, duration, or repetition of the mechanical disturbance.
13. (canceled)
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mote applying information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote further comprises:
the at least one mote sharing information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate a determination of a distance between the at least one mote and the at least one other mote.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one mote applying information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote further comprises:
the at least one mote applying information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate determination of which one or more motes are nearest neighbors.
16. (canceled)
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
the at least one mote receiving an indication to be alert for the mechanical disturbance prior to detecting the mechanical disturbance.
18. (canceled)
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. (canceled)
22. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one mote receiving an indication to be alert for the mechanical disturbance prior to detecting the mechanical disturbance further comprises:
the at least one mote receiving an indication of when the mechanical disturbance will be generated.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one mote receiving an indication of when the mechanical disturbance will be generated further comprises:
the at least one mote receiving an indication of an absolute time when the mechanical disturbance will be generated.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the indication of when the mechanical disturbance will be generated further comprises:
an indication of a relative time when the mechanical disturbance will be generated.
25. (canceled)
26. (canceled)
27. (canceled)
28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
the at least one mote prior to receiving a mechanical disturbance receiving an indication of a time at which the at least one mote should synchronize a clock with at least one other mote.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
the at least one mote and at least one other mote synchronizing one or more clocks at the time indicated by the indication.
30. A method comprising:
at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance; and
the at least one mote communicating to a central processing facility information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate a determination by the central processing facility of a location of the at least one mote.
31. (canceled)
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance further comprises:
at least one mote applying signal processing logic to facilitate detection of the mechanical disturbance.
33. (canceled)
34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:
applying information about one or more properties of one or more media through which the mechanical disturbance propagates to facilitate the determination of the location of the motes.
35. A method comprising:
at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance; and
the at least one mote communicating to a central processing facility information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate a determination by the central processing facility of a shape of an object or objects comprising the at least one mote.
36. (canceled)
37. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one mote of a mote network detecting a mechanical disturbance further comprises:
at least one mote applying signal processing logic to facilitate detection of the mechanical disturbance.
38. (canceled)
39. A method comprising:
at least one mote detecting a first mechanical disturbance;
the at least one mote recording an indication of when the first mechanical disturbance was detected;
the at least one mote detecting a second mechanical disturbance;
the at least one mote recording an indication of when the second mechanical disturbance was detected; and
the at least one mote applying information about when the first and second mechanical disturbances were detected in order to facilitate determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote.
40. A system utilizing at least one mote, the mote comprising:
logic to detect a mechanical disturbance; and
logic to apply information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected toward determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote.
41. The mote of claim 40, wherein the logic to apply information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected toward determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote further comprises:
applying one or more differences between when the mechanical disturbance was detected by the mote and when the mechanical disturbance was detected by at least one other mote.
42. (canceled)
43. (canceled)
44. (canceled)
45. (canceled)
46. (canceled)
47. (canceled)
48. (canceled)
49. The mote of claim 40, wherein the logic to detect a mechanical disturbance further comprises:
logic to detect one or more of a strength, frequency, duration, or repetition of the mechanical disturbance.
50. The mote of claim 49, wherein the logic to detect one or more of a strength, frequency, duration, or repetition of the mechanical disturbance further comprises:
logic to detect one or more patterns of repetition of the mechanical disturbance.
51. (canceled)
52. The mote of claim 40, wherein the logic to apply information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected toward determination of a location of the at least one mote with respect to at least one other mote further comprises:
logic to apply information about when the mechanical disturbance was detected in order to facilitate determination of which motes are nearest neighbors of the mote.
53. (canceled)
54. The mote of claim 40, further comprising:
logic to apply a received indication to be alert for the mechanical disturbance prior to detecting the mechanical disturbance.
55. (canceled)
56. (canceled)
57. (canceled)
58. (canceled)
59. The mote of claim 54, wherein the logic to apply a received indication to be alert for the mechanical disturbance prior to detecting the mechanical disturbance further comprises:
logic to receive and apply an indication of when the mechanical disturbance will be generated.
60. (canceled)
61. The mote of claim 59, wherein the logic to receive and apply an indication of when the mechanical disturbance will be generated further comprises:
logic to receive and apply an indication of a relative time when the mechanical disturbance will be generated.
62. The mote of claim 61, wherein the logic to receive and apply an indication of a relative time when the mechanical disturbance will be generated further comprises:
logic to record a time that the mechanical disturbance was received relative to the time when the mechanical disturbance will be generated.
63. The mote of claim 40, further comprising:
logic to synchronize a clock with at least one other mote.
64. The mote of claim 40, further comprising:
logic to record an absolute time at which the mechanical disturbance is received.

1. A method for treating or preventing metastasis in a subject having cancer, said method comprising administering to said subject a lipocalin 2 compound, or a fragment or derivative thereof, that has lipocalin 2 biological activity, wherein said administering is for a time and in an amount sufficient to treat or prevent said metastasis in said subject.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 compound is a lipocalin 2 polypeptide or fragment thereof.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said lipocalin 2 polypeptide comprises a sequence substantially identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said lipocalin 2 polypeptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said lipocalin 2 polypeptide consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO: 4.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 compound binds a siderophore.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 compound transports iron.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 biological activity is the reversal or inhibition of epithelial to mesechymal transition.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 compound binds to a lipocalin 2 receptor.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 compound decreases phosphorylation of E-cadherin, increases E-cadherin biological activity, or inhibits ras-MAPK signaling.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein lipocalin 2 compound increases E-cadherin expression.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising administering a siderophore.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said siderophore is selected from the group consisting of bacterial catecholate-type ferric siderophores, enterochelin, carboxymycobactin, aminochelin, desferrioxamine, aerobactin, arthrobactin, schizokinen, foroxymithine, pseudobactins, neoenactin, photobactin, ferrichrome, hemin, achromobactin, achromobactin, and rhizobactin.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein said siderophore is in a complex with said lipocalin 2 compound.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising administering iron or an iron replacement.
16. (canceled)
17. The method of claim 15, wherein said iron or iron replacement is in a complex with said lipocalin 2 compound either directly or indirectly.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said iron or iron replacement is in a complex with said lipocalin 2 compound prior to administering to said subject.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipocalin 2 compound is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a lipocalin 2 polypeptide that has lipocalin 2 biological activity.
20-22. (canceled)
23. The method of claim 1, wherein said cancer is from an epithelial cell solid tumor.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein said epithelial cell solid tumor is a cancer selected from the group consisting of gastrointestinal cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, head and neck cancer, and liver cancer.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the cancer is metastatic and said method is used to treat said metastasis.
26. The method of claim 1, wherein the cancer is at risk of becoming metastatic.
27. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is at risk for cancer or cancer metastasis.
28. The method of claim 1, further comprising administering to said subject an additional cancer therapy selected from the group consisting of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, differentiating therapy, and immune therapy.
29-31. (canceled)
32. A kit for the treatment or prevention of metastasis in a subject having, or at risk of developing, a metastatic cancer, said kit comprising a lipocalin 2 compound and instructions for the use of said lipocalin 2 compound for the treatment or prevention of said metastatic cancer.
33. The kit of claim 32, further comprising at least one additional compound selected from the group consisting of a chemotherapeutic agent, an angiogenesis inhibitor, or an anti-proliferative compound.
34. A method for reducing or inhibiting angiogenesis in a subject in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said subject a lipocalin 2 compound, wherein said administering is for a time and in an amount sufficient to reduce or inhibit said angiogenesis.
35-51. (canceled)
52-53. (canceled)
54. A method of diagnosing metastatic disease or a propensity to develop a metastatic disease in a subject having or at risk of having cancer, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) determining the level of a lipocalin 2 polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, or fragments thereof, in a sample from said subject; and
(b) comparing said level in (a) to a normal reference level of lipocalin 2 polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, or fragment thereof; wherein an alteration in said subject levels relative to said normal reference level is diagnostic of a metastatic disease or a propensity to develop a metastatic disease in said subject.
55-57. (canceled)
58. The method of claim 54, wherein said method is used to monitor the metastatic health of a subject having or at risk of having cancer.
59-69. (canceled)
70. A method for treating or preventing fibrosis in a subject having a fibrotic disorder, said method comprising administering to said subject a lipocalin 2 compound, wherein said administering is for a time and in an amount sufficient to prevent or reduce the occurrence of said fibrosis.
71-77. (canceled)

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of preparing microparticles, comprising:
dissolving an active agent in a first solvent to form an active agent solution;
dissolving a polymer in a second solvent to form a polymer solution;
blending the active agent solution and the polymer solution to form an organic phase;
combining the organic phase and an aqueous phase in a first static mixer to form an emulsion, the emulsion forming an outflow of the first static mixer;
combining the outflow of the first static mixer and a first portion of a starting volume of an extraction liquid for extracting the first and second solvents from the emulsion in a second static mixer; and
combining an outflow of the second static mixer with a second portion of the extraction liquid to extract the first and second solvents from the emulsion.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of combining the outflow of the second static mixer with the second portion of the extraction liquid comprises:
allowing the outflow of the second static mixer to flow into a vessel containing the second portion of the extraction liquid.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of combining the outflow of the second static mixer with the second portion of the extraction liquid comprises:
combining the outflow of the second static mixer and the second portion of the extraction liquid in a third static mixer.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
allowing an outflow of the third static mixer to flow into a vessel.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
continuing the step of combining the outflow of the second static mixer and the second portion of the extraction liquid in the third static mixer until the organic phase is depleted; and
transferring a remainder of the starting volume of the extraction liquid to the vessel.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of combining the outflow of the second static mixer with the second portion of the extraction liquid comprises:
combining the outflow of the second static mixer and the second portion of the extraction liquid in a third static mixer and repeating this combining step until the starting volume of the extraction liquid is depleted.
7. A method of preparing microparticles, comprising:
dissolving an active agent and a polymer in a solvent to form an organic phase;
combining the organic phase and an aqueous phase in a first static mixer to form an emulsion, the emulsion forming an outflow of the first static mixer;
combining the outflow of the first static mixer and a first portion of a starting volume of an extraction liquid for extracting the solvent from the emulsion in a second static mixer; and
combining an outflow of the second static mixer with a second portion of the extraction liquid to extract the solvent from the emulsion.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of combining the outflow of the second static mixer with the second portion of the extraction liquid comprises:
allowing the outflow of the second static mixer to flow into a vessel containing the second portion of the extraction liquid.