Abstract: The present invention relates to a screw actuated mechanical tubular elements connection system to connect a first tubular element provided with a screw hole with a second tubular element via a connector assembly adapted to be inserted into the passages of the tubular elements. The connector assembly includes a rigid body with a foot portion, a movable gripping element, a movable screw actuated portion and a transmission between these movable elements. The tubulars connection system is operable such that upon actuation of the screw, in succession the gripping element exerts a pushing force perpendicular to the wall, to provide a gripping connection between the movable gripping element and the inner surface and an engagement between the foot portion and the opposed inner surface, and a pulling force to pull the second tubular element towards the first tubular element.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of determining the mass of a load in a tipper body of a tipper, the tipper includes a tipper body pivotably moveable with respect to a frame with a hydraulic cylinder disposed therebetween and actuatable to pivot the tipper body. The method includes receiving at least one pressure parameter relating to the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic cylinder at an angular position of the tipper body and at least one angular positional parameter relating to the angular position of the tipper body at the angular position; and determining a mass parameter relating to the mass of a load in the tipper body based on at least the at least one pressure parameter and the at least one angular positional parameter.

Abstract: The application relates to the field of plant breeding, in particular watermelon breeding. Provided are bush type, triploid watermelon plants (and seeds from which these plants can be grown) and seedless watermelon fruits produced by these plants. Also provided are bush type pollenizer plants and bush type tetraploid plants and methods for producing triploid hybrids having a bush growth type, as well as methods for producing seedless watermelon fruits of high quality.

Abstract: Methods of optimizing a metrology process are disclosed. In one arrangement, measurement data from a plurality of applications of the metrology process to a first target on a substrate are obtained. Each application of the metrology process includes illuminating the first target with a radiation spot and detecting radiation redirected by the first target. The applications of the metrology process include applications at a) plural positions of the radiation spot relative to the first target, and/or b) plural focus heights of the radiation spot. The measurement data includes, for each application of the metrology process, a detected pupil representation of an optical characteristic of the redirected radiation in a pupil plane. The method includes determining an optimal alignment and/or an optimal focus height based on comparisons between the detected pupil representations in the measurement data and a reference pupil representation.

Abstract: High-brightness short-wavelength radiation source contains a vacuum chamber with a rotating target assembly having an annular groove, an energy beam focused on the target, a useful short-wavelength radiation beam coming out of the interaction zone, wherein the target is a layer of molten metal formed by a centrifugal force on a surface of the annular groove facing a rotation axis. A replaceable membrane made of carbon nanotubes may be installed on a pathway of the short-wavelength radiation beam for debris mitigation. In the embodiments of the invention the energy beam is a pulsed laser beam. The pulsed laser beam may consist of pre-pulse and main-pulse, with parameters such as laser pulse repetition rate chosen in order to suppress debris. In other embodiments the energy beam is the electron beam produced by an electron gun and the rotating target assembly is a rotating anode.

Abstract: A reference voltage generator circuit (100) is disclosed, comprising a first transistor (101) having a first channel type and a second transistor (102) having a second channel type. A current source (104) is connected to a source terminal of the first transistor (101). A drain terminal of the second transistor (102) is connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor (101). The reference voltage generator circuit (100) further comprises a third transistor (103) having the second channel type, wherein a drain terminal of the third transistor (103) is connected to a source terminal of the second transistor (102). A node between the source terminal of the second transistor (102) and the drain terminal of the third transistor (103) is connected to a gate terminal of the first transistor (101). A connection for a reference voltage (Vrc) is provided between the current source (104) and the source terminal of the first transistor (101).

Abstract: Methods of determining a value of a parameter of interest are disclosed. In one arrangement, a symmetric component and an asymmetric component of a detected pupil representation from illuminating a target are derived. A first metric characterizing the symmetric component and a second metric characterizing the asymmetric component vary non-monotonically as a function of the parameter of interest over a reference range of values of the parameter of interest. A combination of the derived symmetric component and the derived asymmetric component are used to identify a correct value from a plurality of candidate values of the parameter of interest.

Abstract: A secondary side controller for a switched mode power supply, the controller comprising a first semiconductor die comprising an integrated circuit configured to provide a load connection signal; a second semiconductor die, packaged with the first semiconductor die, comprising a charge pump configured to, in response to the load connection signal received from the integrated circuit of the first semiconductor die, provide a switch signal for control of a load connection switch that controls whether or not the switched mode power supply is electrically connected to a load; wherein the presence or absence of the load connection signal is configured to control whether or not the charge pump generates the switch signal and the amplitude of the load connection signal is configured to control the voltage of the switch signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of a miRNA molecule, an equivalent or a source thereof in a disease and condition associated with melanoma or a disease or a condition associated with activated BRAF pathway.

Abstract: An alignment system, method and lithographic apparatus are provided for determining the position of an alignment mark, the alignment system comprising a first system configured to produce two overlapping images of the alignment mark that are rotated by around 180 degrees with respect to one another, and a second system configured to determine the position of the alignment mark from a spatial distribution of an intensity of the two overlapping images.

Abstract: A high angle overboard system and method for the deployment of subsea equipment from a marine vessel. The overboard guide system deploys a deployment line from a surface vessel into a body of water at an angle alpha. The angle alpha may be at least 15 degrees and may be greater than 20, 25, 30, 45, or even 60 degrees or more during some or all portions of the subsea operations. The overboard system may be located near the splashzone of the surface vessel or a distance beneath a water surface. The overboard system may take any number of configurations, such as a cone shape, and/or may comprise a plurality of rollers or one or more sheaves. The overboard system allows a subsea device to be operated at higher deployment angles as compared to prior art subsea operations, such as with A-frame LARS systems.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying a plurality of articles (10) includes a transport belt (6), a bumper stopper (14), and a rotator (12). A motor moves the transport belt which is adapted to rotate the rotator as the belt conveys the plurality of articles. The stopper can move between first and second positions relative to the transport belt wherein the bumper stopper guides one article toward the rotator when the bumper stopper is in the first position. The bumper stopper allows the article to be conveyed to another location when the bumper stopper is in the second position. The transport belt can continue to convey other articles while the one article is temporarily held in place by the bumper stopper. The rotator is configured to rotate the article conveyed by the transport belt. The article can remain in contact with the transport belt while the rotator is rotating the article.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product are provided to facilitate the navigation of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, utilizing map data in which the quality associated with the map data is provided in a more computationally efficient manner. In the context of a method a plurality of different types of sensor data are received including map data, camera data and detector data. The method determines a quality index associated with the map data and weights the reliance upon the map data relative to other types of sensor data based upon the quality index associated with the map data. The method further includes determining navigation information for the vehicle based at least partly upon the weighting of the map data relative to other types of sensor data.

Abstract: A radiation-curable slurry for additive manufacturing of 3D metal objects is provided, comprising: (a) 2-45 wt % of a polymerizable resin; (b) 0.001-10 wt % of one or more polymerization photoinitiators; and (c) 55-98 wt % of a mixture of metal-containing compounds, wherein the mixture of metal-containing compounds comprises, based on the weight of said mixture, 5-95 wt % of metal particles and 5-95 wt % of one or more metal precursors. An additive manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional metal object using the slurry is provided, as well as three-dimensional metal objects obtainable by the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical device for minimally invasive surgery. The surgical device comprises a shaft (10) extending along a longitudinal axis to a distal end thereof, and a surgical module (3) mounted to the distal end of the shaft and provided with a movable surgical element. The shaft includes a tube (7) that is rotatable relative to the shaft (10) and a further tube (5). The shaft further includes at least one slider (15A,B) connected to the surgical module and operatively driven by the rotatable tube via a rotary to linear linkage such that a rotation of the rotatable tube around the longitudinal axis induces a movement of the slider along the longitudinal axis thereby inducing a movement of the movable surgical element. The further tube is coaxial with the rotatable tube and rotationally stationary relative to the shaft. Further, the at least one slider is rotationally locked relative to the stationary tube.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a device are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for performing physical layer operations at a network node in a communications network is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method involves identifying a fault status at the network node, embedding an indication of the fault status into a bit stream at the physical layer of the network node, and transmitting the bit stream from the network node. In an embodiment, embedding an indication of the fault status into a bit stream at the physical layer includes embedding an operations, administration, and management (OAM) word into the bit stream to communicate the indication of the fault status.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus having a controller configured to control a positioner to move a support table relative to an immersion space between the support table and a projection system to follow a route having a series of motions, the controller adapted to: predict a speed of an edge of the immersion space relative to an edge of an object on the support table when the edge of the immersion space passes over the edge of the object during at least one motion of the series of motions of the route; compare the speed to a predetermined parameter and to predict liquid loss from the immersion space during the at least one motion if the speed is greater than the predetermined parameter; and if liquid loss from the immersion space is predicted, modify one or more parameters of the route during the at least one motion accordingly.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for treatment of bone fractures and defects, in particular to method that accelerate fracture healing, and to compositions, injectable in situ depot forming formulations and patches comprising at least one biodegradable polymer, an androgen receptor agonist and a bisphosphonate or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use in such methods.