Abstract: High affinity PD-1 mimic polypeptides are provided, which (i) comprise at least one amino acid change relative to a wild-type PD-1 protein; and (ii) have an increased affinity for PD-L1 relative to the wild-type protein. Compositions and methods are provided for modulating the activity of immune cells in a mammal by administering a therapeutic dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a high affinity PD-1 mimic polypeptide, which blocks the physiological binding interaction between PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 and/or PD-L2.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods to secure a film to a container are provided. An example sealing device utilizes film from a supply of film to seal a lid onto a container. Various sizes of containers are usable with some example sealing devices. Additional features, such as printing on the film and piercing the film for ventilation and/or insertion of a straw are contemplated. One or more markings along the film may be utilized for confirming that an approved film has been loaded into the sealing device. In response, various components or features of the sealing device may be appropriately enabled or disabled. The one or more markings may also be utilized to convey data to the sealing device regarding the installed film, such as for improved operation thereof.

Abstract: Described herein is a gas-liquid separating gas exchange device comprising a vent mechanism that services gas exchange between the interior and exterior of a housing, a shelter of the vent mechanism distal from the housing that provides shelter of a distal area around the vent mechanism, an area-encompassing abutment rising distally from the housing and encompassing both the vent mechanism and the shelter and creating a fluid-catchment junction between the shelter and the abutment, and at least one fluid-exchange passageway in the at least one shelter allowing fluid exchange between the distal sheltered area and the abutment into the fluid-catchment junction. The gas-liquid separating gas exchange device may separate gas and liquid by gravity, energy of vibration, air-pressure forces, or a combination thereof and facilitates expulsion of contaminating liquid and debris from the housing.

Abstract: A wafer probe test system having a probe card with a probe head, a rotary magnet, a magnetic sensor positioned to sense the magnetic field of the rotary magnet and a controller coupled to the probe card, where the probe head has probe needles to engage features of test sites of a wafer in a wafer plane of orthogonal first and second directions, and the rotary magnet is rotatable around an axis of a third direction to provide a magnetic field to the wafer, in which the controller includes a model of magnetic flux density in the first, second and third directions at the respective test sites of the wafer as a function of a rotational angle of the rotary magnet, a probe needle height along the third direction and a measured magnetic flux density of the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: Described herein is a gas-liquid separating gas exchange device comprising a vent mechanism that services gas exchange between the interior and exterior of a housing, a shelter of the vent mechanism distal from the housing that provides shelter of a distal area around the vent mechanism, an area-encompassing abutment rising distally from the housing and encompassing both the vent mechanism and the shelter and creating a fluid-catchment junction between the shelter and the abutment, and at least one fluid-exchange passageway in the at least one shelter allowing fluid exchange between the distal sheltered area and the abutment into the fluid-catchment junction. The gas-liquid separating gas exchange device may separate gas and liquid by gravity, energy of vibration, air-pressure forces, or a combination thereof and facilitates expulsion of contaminating liquid and debris from the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of determining an optimal route for a vessel based on vessel traffic data. The method comprises receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region and defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics. The method also comprises determining an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points using a representation of the geographical region. The representation comprises nodes, and each node is associated with a respective defined sub-region.

Abstract: Described herein is a gas-liquid separating gas exchange device comprising a vent mechanism that services gas exchange between the interior and exterior of a housing, a shelter of the vent mechanism distal from the housing that provides shelter of a distal area around the vent mechanism, an area-encompassing abutment rising distally from the housing and encompassing both the vent mechanism and the shelter and creating a fluid-catchment junction between the shelter and the abutment, and at least one fluid-exchange passageway in the at least one shelter allowing fluid exchange between the distal sheltered area and the abutment into the fluid-catchment junction. The gas-liquid separating gas exchange device may separate gas and liquid by gravity, energy of vibration, air-pressure forces, or a combination thereof and facilitates expulsion of contaminating liquid and debris from the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of determining an optimal route for a vessel based on vessel traffic data. The method comprises receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region and defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics. The method also comprises determining an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points using a representation of the geographical region. The representation comprises nodes, and each node is associated with a respective defined sub-region.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a housing defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces. Also included is a first rail extending from the first side surface and a second rail extending from the second surface such that when the first and second rails are slidably engaged with a third surface. A blower device is included that is axially disposed between the top and bottom surface, wherein a first end of the housing defines a first plenum outlet, the top surface defines a plenum inlet, the bottom surface defines a second plenum outlet that is positioned on a second side of the blower device and that fluidly couples the first plenum chamber to the second plenum chamber. Further, the second plenum chamber is formed by the first and second rails, the bottom surface and the third surface has a third plenum outlet.

Abstract: In a conventional screw compressor, two mating rotors which resemble screws are assembled in parallel with each other within a housing. These rotors are very costly to manufacture, and it is very difficult to extract all of the gas that has been compressed between the lobes of the rotor screws. This invention eliminates the twist of the lobes around the rotor of a conventional screw compressor. In this invention, the lobes are manufactured in line with the axis of the rotor (axially). As a result, the costs of manufacturing the rotors are reduced dramatically, and the natural tendency for the gas to be driven towards the center of the female rotor is taken advantage of, making it much easier to extract practically all of the gas that has been compressed between the lobes.

Abstract: A strip of laminating steel for electric motors or generators is rolled over a mandrel in order to create an electric motor rotor or stator. The outside diameter of the mandrel determines the inside diameter of the roll, while the length of the strip determines the outside diameter of the roll. Slots for the insertion of magnet wire are either precut into the sides of the strip, or cut into the sides of the roll with metal working machinery after the roll has been wound. The slots can be created on one or both sides of the roll. Inserting magnet wire coils in these slots creates a rotor or a stator for an electric machine. A rotor surrounded by two identical stators with their stator windings facing the two rotor sides, or a stator containing slots on both sides which share one winding in its stator slots surrounded by two identical rotors comprise the main components.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a housing defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces. Also included is a first rail extending from the first side surface and a second rail extending from the second surface such that when the first and second rails are slidably engaged with a third surface. A blower device is included that is axially disposed between the top and bottom surface, wherein a first end of the housing defines a first plenum outlet, the top surface defines a plenum inlet, the bottom surface defines a second plenum outlet that is positioned on a second side of the blower device and that fluidly couples the first plenum chamber to the second plenum chamber. Further, the second plenum chamber is formed by the first and second rails, the bottom surface and the third surface has a third plenum outlet.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a housing defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces. Also included is a first rail extending from the first side surface and a second rail extending from the second surface such that when the first and second rails are slidably engaged with a third surface. A blower device is included that is axially disposed between the top and bottom surface, wherein a first end of the housing defines a first plenum outlet, the top surface defines a plenum inlet, the bottom surface defines a second plenum outlet that is positioned on a second side of the blower device and that fluidly couples the first plenum chamber to the second plenum chamber. Further, the second plenum chamber is formed by the first and second rails, the bottom surface and the third surface has a third plenum outlet.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of determining an optimal route for a vessel based on vessel traffic data. The method comprises receiving vessel traffic data relating to the movement of each of a plurality of vessels in a geographical region and defining sub-regions within the geographical region in which the vessel traffic data has similar characteristics. The method also comprises determining an optimal route for a vessel between two geographical points using a representation of the geographical region. The representation comprises nodes, and each node is associated with a respective defined sub-region.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a housing defining a top surface, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces. Also included is a first rail extending from the first side surface and a second rail extending from the second surface such that when the first and second rails are slidably engaged with a third surface. A blower device is included that is axially disposed between the top and bottom surface, wherein a first end of the housing defines a first plenum outlet, the top surface defines a plenum inlet, the bottom surface defines a second plenum outlet that is positioned on a second side of the blower device and that fluidly couples the first plenum chamber to the second plenum chamber. Further, the second plenum chamber is formed by the first and second rails, the bottom surface and the third surface has a third plenum outlet.

Abstract: A network element that allows in-band control of the network element includes a plurality of interfaces for connecting to other network elements. The network element includes a high data rate transceiver logic configured for transmitting and receiving communications having a first data rate over a first communication channel. The network element also includes a low data rate transceiver logic configured for transmitting and receiving communications having a second data rate that is substantially lower than the first data rate over a second communication channel. The network element further includes a shared photodiode for receiving optical signals over the first and second communication channels. The shared photodiode also converts received optical signals into electrical signals for processing by one of the high data rate transceiver logic and the low data rate transceiver logic.

Abstract: A phased-array antenna assembly includes an antenna board stack, a radome configured to cover the antenna board stack, and a casing configured to support the antenna board stack. The antenna board stack includes a central core, a bottom antenna unit defining a bottom thickness between a bottom surface of the central core and a bottom end of the antenna board stack, and a top antenna unit defining a top thickness between a top surface of the central core and the top end of the antenna board stack that is substantially equal to the bottom thickness. The bottom antenna unit includes two spaced apart bottom metal layers each associated with a different distance from the axis of symmetry. The top antenna unit includes two spaced apart top metal layers each associated with a corresponding one of the distances from the axis of symmetry associated with the bottom metal layers.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling mastership among multiple devices in a fault tolerant manner. The devices may be configured to transmit and receive redundant heartbeat signals to indicate the mastership state of the device. The signals may operate in a plurality of configurations including active-master, ready and not-ready. By detecting the signal configuration sent from the other devices, each device is capable of managing its own transitions into and out of mastership in order to ensure that there is one and only one device functioning as master.

Abstract: A phased-array antenna assembly includes an antenna board stack, a radome configured to cover the antenna board stack, and a casing configured to support the antenna board stack. The antenna board stack includes a central core, a bottom antenna unit defining a bottom thickness between a bottom surface of the central core and a bottom end of the antenna board stack, and a top antenna unit defining a top thickness between a top surface of the central core and the top end of the antenna board stack that is substantially equal to the bottom thickness. The bottom antenna unit includes two spaced apart bottom metal layers each associated with a different distance from the axis of symmetry. The top antenna unit includes two spaced apart top metal layers each associated with a corresponding one of the distances from the axis of symmetry associated with the bottom metal layers.

Abstract: A network element that allows in-band control of the network element includes a plurality of interfaces for connecting to other network elements. The network element includes a high data rate transceiver logic configured for transmitting and receiving communications having a first data rate over a first communication channel. The network element also includes a low data rate transceiver logic configured for transmitting and receiving communications having a second data rate that is substantially lower than the first data rate over a second communication channel. The network element further includes a shared photodiode for receiving optical signals over the first and second communication channels. The shared photodiode also converts received optical signals into electrical signals for processing by one of the high data rate transceiver logic and the low data rate transceiver logic.