Abstract: A turbine blade tip shroud has a first cutter tooth extending from a tip rail from one of the upstream side and the downstream side of the tip rail and adjacent the leading edge of the body. The tip shroud also includes a second cutter tooth extending from the tip rail from the other side of the tip rail at a position axially distant from the first cutter tooth. The cutter teeth are thus axially offset. The tip shroud can be initially manufactured with this shape or may be modified from a used tip shroud having, for example, opposing cutter teeth near a leading edge of a body of the tip shroud. Various tip shroud surface profiles, which are expressed in terms of Cartesian coordinates, are also provided.

Abstract: A patient support may be adjustable in height, width, length or a combination thereof. The patient support may be usable with normal sized patients or with bariatric patients. The patient support has a variety of features to enhance operability and/or functionality, including a width adjustable caster frame, width adjustable deck portions, a width adjustable headboard and an extendible foot board to provide extra length. An enhanced lift mechanism can accommodate bariatric patients and alternative functionality in achieving deck positions improves patient comfort. Various parts of the patient support including deck panels and the footboard may be removed and replaced with ease without complicated connectors.

Abstract: A drive assembly with finial connector for a drapery rod system that is configured to facilitate assembly of a drapery rod and finials with the finials aligned with the axis of rotation of the drapery rod and facilitate connection with and disconnection of drapery rod and finials from brackets while assembled. In one or more arrangements, the drive assembly includes a drive coupler, a gearbox, a motor, a control circuit housing positioned within a hollow interior of a drapery rod. In one or more arrangements, the drive assembly includes a lug and a shaft operably connected to an outward end of the control circuit housing. The lug is configured to connect with a bracket. In one or more arrangements, the drive assembly includes a finial connector configured to operably connect with the lug and/or shaft and facilitate connection with a finial aligned with the drapery rod.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a preform, the method including positioning at least one glass tube in a glass outer cladding to form a preform precursor, the glass tube comprising a first open end and a second open end, forming a preform from the preform precursor, and thermally treating at least one of the preform precursor and the preform. The thermally treating including sealing the first open end and the second open end of the glass tube to form a closed tube and heating and/or cooling the glass tube to manipulate gas pressure within the closed glass tube.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, an identity of a vehicle operator may be determined and a vehicle operator profile and/or operating data regarding autonomous operation features of the vehicle may be received after the vehicle operator opts into a rewards program and agrees to share their data. Autonomous operation and vehicle operator risk levels associated with operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be determined. Based upon the risk levels and/or comparison thereof, one or more autonomous operation features may be disengaged. A preparedness level of the vehicle operator to assume or reassume control of operating the vehicle is determined prior to disengagement. If satisfactory, an alert is presented to the vehicle operator prior to disengagement of the autonomous operation features.

Abstract: One implementation of the present disclosure is a system including one or more memory devices having instructions stored thereon, that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive a selection including a context and a twin function and generate an operation to monitor a graph based on the context, the operation identifying whether one or more new events are added to the graph, the one or more new events affecting a processing result. The instructions cause the one or more processors to cause the twin function to execute responsive to identifying the one or more new events added to the graph that affect the processing result, execute the twin function based on the one or more new events and the context to generate the processing result.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fluorinated compounds of formula I and methods of synthesizing these compounds. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the fluorinated compounds of the invention, and methods of treating macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy (DR), macular edema, diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO), by administering these compounds and pharmaceutical compositions to subjects in need thereof.

Abstract: Liquid antimicrobial compositions providing efficacy against microbial and viral pathogens while also providing yeasticidal activity are provided. The compositions are compatible formulations that do not leave hazy, streaky, or tacky residues on treated surfaces and do not require PPE. Methods of using the liquid antimicrobial compositions are also provided.

Abstract: The methods and systems relate to improvements to threat modeling systems through the use of crowdsourcing. Specifically, the methods and systems relate to generating recommendations based on crowdsourced threat modeling contributions. For example, the methods and systems automate the threat modeling process by leveraging data in order to drive consistent and measurable quality of threat models and enable threat models to provide aggregated views of risk concentration at any altitude.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for operating an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. With the customer's permission, an identity of a vehicle operator may be identified and a vehicle operator profile may be retrieved. Operating data regarding autonomous operation features operating the vehicle may be received from vehicle-mounted sensors. When a request to disable an autonomous feature is received, a risk level for the autonomous feature is determined and compared with a driver behavior setting for the autonomous feature stored in the vehicle operator profile. Based upon the risk level comparison, the autonomous vehicle retains control of vehicle or the autonomous feature is disengaged depending upon which is the safer driver—the autonomous vehicle or the vehicle human occupant. As a result, unsafe disengagement of self-driving functionality for autonomous vehicles may be alleviated.

Abstract: A method secures hash chains via hybrid consensus. A proximate payload for a proximate chain block for a proximate chain is obtained. A first identifier of the proximate chain and the proximate payload are hashed with a hash function to generate a second identifier of the proximate chain. The proximate chain block is added to the proximate chain. The proximate chain block includes the first identifier, the second identifier, and the proximate payload. A request to add the second identifier to a reporting chain is transmitted. A response indicating that the second identifier is incorporated into the reporting chain using the consensus mechanism is received.

Abstract: An air conditioner unit and a film heating assembly for use in the air conditioner unit, the air conditioner unit comprising a bulkhead defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion and an indoor fan positioned within the indoor portion for selectively urging a flow of air through an indoor heat exchanger. The film heating assembly comprises a plurality of thick film heaters mounted to the bulkhead and an electrical relay system for selectively coupling the plurality of thick film heaters to an external power source.

Abstract: A method for using shareable and nested transaction on hash chains includes storing transaction data of a transaction of a hash chain. A lock block is appended to the hash chain. Appending the lock block includes setting a tail block identifier of the hash chain from a preceding tail block of a preceding transaction to the lock block. A data block is appended to the hash chain. Appending the data block includes setting the tail block identifier of the hash chain to the data block. The method further includes removing the transaction data from the transaction without invalidating the hash chain. The method further includes appending an updated data block to the hash chain to update the transaction with updated transaction data.

Abstract: An engineered stone product is made using a material that includes ceramic powder, glass sand, and a binder.

Abstract: An air conditioner unit includes an indoor heat exchanger assembly positioned in an indoor portion of the air conditioner unit. The indoor heat exchanger assembly includes an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan. The air conditioner unit also includes a heating unit. The heating unit may be positioned in the indoor portion of the air conditioner unit downstream of the indoor fan and/or at the exhaust side of the indoor fan.

Abstract: An electronic aiming system includes an electro-mechanical reticle having a plurality of electrically powered holdover indicators disposed on a primary crosshair of the reticle, the holdover indicators configured to be individually selected and energized to a visible state, a rangefinder configured to generate range data, a computing device configured to generate ballistics data; and a processor configured to receive the range data and ballistics data, select, based at least in part on either or both of the range data and ballistics data, one or more of the holdover indicators, and energize the selected holdover indicator or indicators to the visible state

Abstract: An umbrella system includes a support pole connected to a rotating tube positioned around a center tube that extends between the support pole and a center support that is connected to an umbrella frame. The rotating tube has one or more helical grooves therein that are engaged by teeth of a hub which is connected to the umbrella frame. As the rotating tube is rotated, the hub is driven along the length of the rotating tube thereby opening and closing the umbrella frame. In one arrangement system includes a motor housing assembly including a plurality of batteries and a motor that includes a driven gear that meshes with a stationary gear which causes rotation of the rotating tube.

Abstract: Unmanned vehicles may be terrestrial, aerial, nautical, or multi-mode. Unmanned vehicles may accomplish tasks by breaking out into sub-drones, re-grouping itself, changing form, or re-orienting its sensors.

Abstract: In one or more arrangements, an umbrella system includes a support pole connected to a rotating tube positioned around a center tube that extends between the support pole and a upper hub that is connected to an umbrella frame. The rotating tube has one or more helical grooves therein that are engaged by a lower hub which is connected to the umbrella frame. As the rotating tube is rotated, the lower hub is driven along the length of the rotating tube, thereby opening and closing the umbrella frame. In one or more arrangements, the system includes a rotational lock assembly configured to prevent rotation of the rotating tube when locked and permit rotation of the rotating tube when unlocked. In one or more arrangements, the system includes a counterbalance assembly that provides a counterbalance force positioned within a upper hub of the umbrella frame.

Abstract: A system and method for constructing a digital composite image of a three- dimensional biological sample. The system includes an optical system that captures images of cells and tissue presented on a specimen slide. The system systematically acquires a stack of images at different segments across the specimen slide. For each segment, the system dynamically calculates an optimal focal plane. Once an optimal focal plane is determined for each of the stacks of images, the system generates a composite image by copying the sharpest objects from each of the optimal focal planes.