Abstract: The subject invention provides a drug delivery device for injecting medicament which includes a tubular reservoir; a stopper slidably disposed in the reservoir; a spring for moving the stopper in the reservoir; at least one needle, the needle having a distal end for insertion into a patient, and a lumen extending proximally from the distal end, the lumen being in direct or indirect communication with the reservoir; a needle driver for displacing the needle; and an actuator. Activation of the actuator causes the spring to move the stopper and the needle driver to displace the needle. The needle moves relative to, and separately from, the reservoir with the needle being displaced. Advantageously, with the subject invention, a drug delivery device is provided wherein a needle is moved, relative to the reservoir, in being displaced for injection. This permits control of the needle displacement separate from the reservoir.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved degassing of polymer flake are provided herein. These systems include a polymerization reactor configured to polymerize one or more olefin monomers and produce a product stream comprising solid polymer flake entrained in a fluid; a flash chamber configured to separate the solid polymer flake from the fluid and to produce a fluid stream and a concentrated stream; and a first degassing chamber configured to separate the concentrated stream by contacting the concentrated stream with a purge fluid comprising one or more light hydrocarbons to produce a partially degassed polymer flake stream and a purge fluid stream.

Abstract: A method for controlling loss circulation. The method includes introducing into a wellbore a nanosilica drilling fluid comprising water, an alkaline nanosilica dispersion, and at least one additive. The method further includes introducing into the nanosilica drilling fluid an amount of a chemical activator comprising a water soluble hydrolysable polyester to produce a convertible drilling mud where the convertible drilling mud has an initial pH between 8 and 11 upon formation. The method also includes allowing the chemical activator to hydrolyze to produce an acid and reduce the pH of the convertible drilling mud to less than a gel pH, thereby converting the convertible drilling mud into a solid gel lost circulation material. A convertible drilling mud operable to convert into a solid gel lost circulation material is also provided.

Abstract: A self-configuring controller includes one or more processors and one or more non-transitory machine readable media storing instructions. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions cause the one or more processors to receive an output signal from a controlled system or device representative of an operation of the controlled system or device in response to a first perturbed control input perturbed using a first dither signal, estimate a bandwidth of the controlled system or device based on the output signal and the first dither signal, perturb a second control input using a second dither signal based on the bandwidth of the controlled system or device to generate a second perturbed control input, and transmit the second perturbed control input to the controlled system or device.

Abstract: A nucleic acid amplifier may include a sample preparation zone, a fluid ejector, an amplification zone and a capillary break between the amplification zone and the fluid ejector.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for inhibiting, reducing or reversing atherosclerosis or a composition or pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating an atherosclerotic disease containing a preparation of Antrodia camphorata, and/or one or more active compounds isolated form Antrodia camphorataa.

Abstract: A load control device for regulating an average magnitude of a load current conducted through an electrical load may operate in different modes. The load control device may comprise a control circuit configured to activate an inverter circuit during an active state period and deactivate the inverter circuit during an inactive state period. In one mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the inactive state period while keeping the active state period constant. In another mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the active state period while keeping the inactive state period constant. In yet another mode, the control circuit may keep a duty cycle of the inverter circuit constant and regulate the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting a target load current conducted through the electrical load.

Abstract: The invention relates to lengthy umbilical flexible tubing that can be wound on a reel, and more particularly to coiled tubing or flexible production tubing. The technical effect is to increase the potential of well process operations. A lengthy umbilical flexible tubing element comprises at least two isolated channels combined to form a single structure. The isolated channels are joined to one another by an interfacing partition formed by welding the points of connection between the walls of the isolated channels to one another. The at least two isolated channels and the interfacing partition are formed from two separate metal strips by shaping said metal strips from the middle by longitudinal bending, and subsequently welding the opposing longitudinal edges of the two metal strips to one another. Jointing or dividing partition is provided with holes and is double the thickness of a metal strip.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a medicine that can simply treat and/or prevent a retinal degenerative disease associated with photoreceptor degeneration, including retinitis pigmentosa. The solution is to provide an agent for treating and/or preventing a retinal degenerative disease associated with photoreceptor degeneration, containing a compound having a retinoic acid receptor agonistic activity (for example, tamibarotene, tamibarotene methyl ester, tamibarotene ethyl ester, tazarotene, tazarotenic acid, adapalene, palovarotene, retinol, isotretinoin, alitretinoin, etretinate, acitretin or bexarotene) or a salt thereof.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and a device in a communication node for wireless communications. The communication node first receives first information and then receives a first radio signal; only X1 bit(s) in a first bit block is(are) used for generating the first radio signal, the first bit block is obtained as an output of channel coding of a first code block, the first code block includes a positive integer number of bit(s), and the first bit block includes a positive integer number of bit(s); when channel decoding fails, at least X2 bit(s) in the first bit block can be used for decoding of the first code block with combining, the first information is used for determining the X2 bit(s), and the X2 is a positive integer. The disclosure reduces requirements on a buffer and reduces complexity.

Abstract: A golf club head includes a body having a recessed channel formed in the outer surface. A weight assembly that includes a weight disposed within the recessed channel and a cover extending over the recessed channel. A shelf is defined in the cover and slidably receives the weight. The weight assembly also includes a fastener coupling the cover to the body. The fastener is adapted to retain the weight in the recessed channel only indirectly by the cover. The cover is positionable in an unlocked configuration whereby the cover is raised at least partially out of the recessed channel and the weight is slidable within the shelf and the recessed channel, and a locked configuration whereby the cover is disposed within the recessed channel and the weight is secured within the recessed channel and the shelf. The weight moves with the cover between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration.

Abstract: A laparoscopic dipping machine that is used to apply dips on tissue structures is enclosed in a housing and includes a pair of movable jaws mounted on a stem. Operational movement for clamping the dips is indirectly triggered by a movement of the handle. The clipping machine further includes at least one spring and a mechanism directly triggering the operational movement of the jaws having at least one pusher movably arranged in the axis of the stem supported in the axis of the stem on the spring.

Abstract: A vented canopy tent for use in combination with a playard includes a top surface having four sides extending downwards therefrom and defining an interior cavity; wherein the first and third sides are at opposing ends and the second and fourth sides are at opposing ends; each of the four sides having a first height; each of the four sides including a plurality of ventilation openings at an intermediate height having a height less than half of the first height, wherein the ventilation openings permit passage of air therethrough; a flap defining a portion of the top surface; a fastening element at the top surface being selectively operable between an open and closed configurations; and at least one fastener for securing the vented canopy tent to the playard.

Abstract: Options for handling write operations may be selected based on a determined probability that a read operation for a portion of data will occur while the data portion is still in an I/O cache as a result of a write operation. As used herein, a “read-after-write event (“RAW”) is an occurrence of a read operation for a portion of data while the data portion is still in an I/O cache as a result of a write operation. The probability of a RAW may be determined by applying Bayesian inference, and may include applying exponential smoothing to calculations made on historical I/O information so that more recent I/O events have greater weight in determining RAW probability. Based on the determined RAW probability, write data may either be journaled in a write journal or written to a cache slot and de-staged to a physical storage device as part of write-in-place processing.

Abstract: A method of detecting a predisposition to, or the incidence of, cancer in a sample comprises detecting an epigenetic change in at least one gene selected from an NDRG4/NDRG2 subfamily gene, GATA4, OSMR, GATA5, SFRP1, ADAM23, JPH3, SFRP2, APC, MGMT, TFPI2, BNIP3, FOXE1, SYNE1, SOX17, PHACTR3 and JAM3, wherein detection of the epigenetic change is indicative of a predisposition to, or the incidence of, cancer. Also described are pharmacogenetic methods for determining suitable treatment regimens for cancer and methods for treating cancer patients, based around selection of the patients according to the methods of the invention. The present invention is also concerned with improved methods of collecting, processing and analyzing samples, in particular body fluid samples. These methods may be useful in diagnosing, staging or otherwise characterizing various diseases.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte solid oxide fuel cell, comprising the steps of: fabricating an NiO-YSZ anode substrate from a mixed NiO and yttria-stabilized zirconia by tape casting; sequentially depositing a NiO-SSZ buffer layer, a thin SSZ electrolyte layer and a SDC electrolyte on the NiO-YSZ anode substrate by a particle suspension coating or spraying process, wherein the layers are co-fired at high temperature to densify the electrolyte layers to at least about 96% of their theoretical densities; and painting/spraying a SSC-SDC slurry on the SDC electrolyte to form a porous SSC-SDC cathode. A SSZ/SDC bi-layer electrolyte cell device and a method of using such device are also discussed.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of welding includes welding at least one fill bead to fill at least one gap on a substrate with arc scanning by an arc welder. The gap is defined by at least one weld bead on the substrate. The weld beads are non-overlapping. A welded article includes a substrate including a crack-prone superalloy and at least one weld bead and at least one fill bead welded on the substrate. The fill bead, the weld bead, and a heat-affected zone of the substrate are micro-crack-free and macro-crack-free. In some embodiments, a method of welding includes welding weld beads on a substrate and welding fill beads on the substrate with an arc welder while arc scanning. The fill beads fill the gaps between neighboring pairs of weld beads. The fill beads are welded in a non-sequential order.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a combustion engine using a cleaning apparatus, wherein a cable is coupled to an on-board diagnostic port on the vehicle, and a service hose with a misting nozzle adapter is coupled to a first port on a vehicle. A controller monitors data from the on-board diagnostic port on a vehicle, where the data preferably includes the engine rpm, the catalytic convertor temperature, the engine coolant temperature, the MAF, and the MAP. The controller monitors information from the cleaning apparatus, and the information is processed to adjust the dispensing of the cleaning solution. The adjustment of the cleaning solution can vary the rate, volume, pressure, pulse interval, flow pattern, and duration of the solution in the engine.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds which are of the formula (I) and (II) wherein X is selected from the group consisting of (III) and (IV); R is selected from the group consisting of (V) and (VI); Q is selected from the group consisting of (VII) and (VIII); and (IX) R2 is selected from the group consisting of (X) and (XI); or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, methods for treating obesity, type II diabetes, and compositions.

Abstract: A fuel-filling system of an LPG vehicle is provided. LPG remaining in an LPG bombe is forcibly fed to a fuel injection pipe using a fuel pump and is used to pressurize new LPG, which is injected into the fuel injection pipe, toward the LPG bombe. Thus, the LPG bombe is refilled with new LPG despite warmer weather conditions.