Abstract: A sodium-cooled nuclear reactor includes at least one electromagnetic pump assembly and a backflow reduction pipe. The backflow reduction pipe may include an inlet, an outlet, at least one tubular section having a first length and a first diameter, and at least one fluid diode section between the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: A rotary roller motor is disclosed herein. The rotary roller motor is a four-stroke internal combustion engine, wherein the rotor “rolls” around the inside of the engine block. The rotor is a two-part rotor having an inner part with a shaft and an offset circular lobe, and an outer rotor fit around the lobe. Two barriers are provided around the rotor chamber, a compression/power barrier and an exhaust/intake barrier. The combustion chamber has a non-reversing compression barrier and a compression hold barrier regulating the combustion of gas.

Abstract: An illumination appliance includes an illumination device, a controller, and a wiring system. The illumination device includes a plurality of interconnected hollow struts, a plurality of semi-reflective sheets, and a plurality of banks of light emitting devices (LEDs). The plurality of interconnected hollow struts collectively define a polygonal body such as a cube with openings. The plurality of interconnected hollow struts individually have an inward facing surface. The plurality of semi-reflective sheets close the openings to define an enclosure within the polygonal body. The plurality of banks of LEDs are mounted on the inward facing surfaces. Some of the light emitted by the LEDs is internally reflected and some is transmitted by the semi-reflective sheets. The controller is for controlling operation of the banks of LEDs. The wiring system electrically couples the controller to the LEDs and routes through the hollow struts to individually connect to the banks of LEDs.

Abstract: The Rotary Roller Motor (RRM) is a four cycle rotary internal combustion engine that uniquely overcomes many of the drawbacks of other rotary type engines, by having the Rotor ‘roll’ around the inside of the engine block, rather than scraping it. This is accomplished with a two part rotor. The inner part of the rotor is composed of a Rotor Shaft (RS-12) with an Offset Circular Lobe (OCL-11) rigidly attached to it. The Outer Rotor (OR-9) fits symmetrically around the Offset Circular Lobe, with Inter Rotor Bearings (IRB-10) between the two to allow free movement. The four cycles are separated by two barriers; the Compression/Power Barrier (CPB-13), and the Exhaust/Intake Barrier (EIB-6). Compression is controlled by two non-reversing barriers, the Non-reversing Compression Barrier (NCB-3) and the Compression Hold Barrier (CHB-14), on either side of the Combustion Chamber (CC-2).

Abstract: A rotary roller motor is disclosed herein. The rotary roller motor is a four-stroke internal combustion engine, wherein the rotor “rolls” around the inside of the engine block. The rotor is a two-part rotor having an inner part with a shaft and an offset circular lobe, and an outer rotor fit around the lobe. Two barriers are provided around the rotor chamber, a compression/power barrier and an exhaust/intake barrier. The combustion chamber has a non-reversing compression barrier and a compression hold barrier regulating the combustion of gas.

Abstract: An illumination appliance includes an illumination device, a controller, and a wiring system. The illumination device includes a plurality of interconnected hollow struts, a plurality of semi-reflective sheets, and a plurality of banks of light emitting devices (LEDs). The plurality of interconnected hollow struts collectively define a polygonal body such as a cube with openings. The plurality of interconnected hollow struts individually have an inward facing surface. The plurality of semi-reflective sheets close the openings to define an enclosure within the polygonal body. The plurality of banks of LEDs are mounted on the inward facing surfaces. Some of the light emitted by the LEDs is internally reflected and some is transmitted by the semi-reflective sheets. The controller is for controlling operation of the banks of LEDs. The wiring system electrically couples the controller to the LEDs and routes through the hollow struts to individually connect to the banks of LEDs.

Abstract: The Rotary Roller Motor (RRM) is a four cycle rotary internal combustion engine that uniquely overcomes many of the drawbacks of other rotary type engines, by having the Rotor ‘roll’ around the inside of the engine block, rather than scraping it. This is accomplished with a two part rotor. The inner part of the rotor is composed of a Rotor Shaft (RS-12) with an Offset Circular Lobe (OCL-11) rigidly attached to it. The Outer Rotor (OR-9) fits symmetrically around the Offset Circular Lobe, with Inter Rotor Bearings (IRB-10) between the two to allow free movement. The four cycles are separated by two barriers; the Compression/Power Barrier (CPB-13), and the Exhaust/Intake Barrier (EIB-6). Compression is controlled by two non-reversing barriers, the Non-reversing Compression Barrier (NCB-3) and the Compression Hold Barrier (CHB-14), on either side of the Combustion Chamber (CC-2).

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for providing respiratory therapy is provided. The system comprises a pressure generator for generating a pressurized flow of breathable gas; a subject interface for guiding the pressurized flow of breathable gas to a point of delivery at or near the airway of the subject, wherein the subject interface causes a pressure drop between an output of the pressure generator and the point of delivery; one or more sensors for generating output signals conveying information related to gas parameters of the pressurized flow of breathable gas; one or more processors configured to adjust one or more model parameters of a parameter-based model that models the subject interface; estimate the pressure drop between the output of the pressure generator and the point of delivery based on the adjusted model parameters; and adjust levels of the gas parameters based on the estimated pressure drop.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing respiratory therapy overcome various effects of transport delay within tubing of a respiratory therapy device by virtue of estimating and compensating for, e.g., a pressure drop in such tubing.

Abstract: An improved patient interface assembly and pressure support system integrate a pressure sensor and a valve into the patient interface assembly and employs closed loop control between the sensor and the valve in order to limit delay between the time at which a condition indicative of abnormal breathing or flow load during normal breathing is experienced by a patient and the time at which altered pressure support is received by the patient.

Abstract: Feedback information is provided to a subject regarding reception of pressure support therapy, and/or other respiratory support therapy. The feedback information may indicate compliance to a respiratory therapy regimen. The feedback information is provided to the subject by transmitting the feedback information through a communication network to a client device associated with the subject. The feedback information may include a characterization of the therapy received by the subject with respect to a usage goal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing respiratory therapy overcome various effects of transport delay within tubing of a respiratory therapy device by virtue of estimating and compensating for, e.g., a pressure drop in such tubing.

Abstract: The lung compliance of a subject that is at least partially self-ventilating is determined. The quantification of lung compliance may be an estimation, a measurement, and/or an approximate measurement. The quantification of lung compliance may be enhanced over conventional techniques and/or systems for quantifying lung compliance of self-ventilating subjects in the lung compliance may be quantified relatively accurately without an effort belt or other external sensing device that directly measures diaphragmatic muscle pressure, and without requiring the subject to manually control diaphragmatic muscle pressure. Quantification of lung compliance may be a useful tool in evaluating the health of the subject, including detection of fluid retention associated with developing acute congestive heart failure.

Abstract: The lung compliance of a subject that is at least partially self-ventilating is determined. The quantification of lung compliance may be an estimation, a measurement, and/or an approximate measurement. The quantification of lung compliance may be enhanced over conventional techniques and/or systems for quantifying lung compliance of self-ventilating subjects in the lung compliance may be quantified relatively accurately without an effort belt or other external sensing device that directly measures diaphragmatic muscle pressure, and without requiring the subject to manually control diaphragmatic muscle pressure. Quantification of lung compliance may be a useful tool in evaluating the health of the subject, including detection of fluid retention associated with developing acute congestive heart failure.

Abstract: A method for generating career progression information for a user participating in one or more activities in a processing device is disclosed. User progress in the activities is tracked. The activities include game activities and non-game activities. Achievement scores for the user based on the game activities and the non-game activities are determined. The achievement scores are aggregated across the game activities and the non-game activities to generate an aggregated career score for the user. Career progression information is generated for the user, based on the aggregated career score.

Abstract: An improved patient interface assembly and pressure support system integrate a pressure sensor and a valve into the patient interface assembly and employs closed loop control between the sensor and the valve in order to limit delay between the time at which a condition indicative of abnormal breathing or flow load during normal breathing is experienced by a patient and the time at which altered pressure support is received by the patient.

Abstract: A system (10) configured to prompt a subject (12) to consciously alter one or more breathing parameters during childbirth. The system includes a pressure generator (14) that generates a pressurized flow of breathable gas for delivery to an airway of the subject during childbirth and a processor (22) that controls the pressure generator to adjust one or more gas parameters of the gas in the pressurized flow of breathable gas to provide breathing cues to the subject in accordance with a breathing regime associated with labor contractions, wherein the breathing cues prompt the subject to consciously alter one or more breathing parameters of respiration.

Abstract: A method for generating career progression information for a user participating in one or more activities in a processing device is disclosed. User progress in the activities is tracked. The activities include game activities and non-game activities. Achievement scores for the user based on the game activities and the non-game activities are determined The achievement scores are aggregated across the game activities and the non-game activities to generate an aggregated career score for the user. Career progression information is generated for the user, based on the aggregated career score.

Abstract: Feedback information is provided to a subject regarding reception of pressure support therapy, and/or other respiratory support therapy. The feedback information may indicate compliance to a respiratory therapy regimen. The feedback information is provided to the subject by transmitting the feedback information through a communication network to a client device associated with the subject. The feedback information may include a characterization of the therapy received by the subject with respect to a usage goal.

Abstract: A method for generating career progression information for a user participating in one or more activities in a processing device is disclosed. User progress in the activities is tracked. The activities include game activities and non-game activities. Achievement scores for the user based on the game activities and the non-game activities are determined The achievement scores are aggregated across the game activities and the non-game activities to generate an aggregated career score for the user. Career progression information is generated for the user, based on the aggregated career score.