Abstract: An apparatus and a method to remove ions from water are provided. The apparatus has at least three electrodes: at least two master electrodes, each master electrode including a current collector connected or connectable to a power supply configured to create an electrical potential difference between at least two master electrodes and at least one floating electrode located between at least two master electrodes. The apparatus is constructed to provide a potential difference between at least two master electrodes and to allow water containing ions to flow from an inlet to an outlet between at least two adjacent electrodes. The ions in the water are attracted to the master and floating electrodes by the potential difference and the at least one floating electrode has an ion barrier layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated optical waveguide evanescent field sensor (1) for sensing of chemical and/or physical quantities, comprising a substrate (2) carrying a waveguide layer structure provided with—a waveguide core layer (10) sandwiched between two cladding layers (11, 12) formed by a lower (11) and a upper (12) cladding layer, of a lower refractive index than the waveguide core layer (10),—a sensing section (14A, 14B) comprising a sensing layer (13) included in the upper cladding layer (12), wherein a longitudinal section of said substrate including said waveguide layer structure and said sensing section (14A, 14B) is exchangeable as a separate element (20).

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for making a polymer-additive composite particle from a dope by jet spinning the dope to obtain a pulp, fibril or fibrid, wherein the solvent of the dope is selected from N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N?-dimethylformamide, N,N?-dimethylacetamide, tetramethylurea, and 4 to 75 wt % of a composition consisting of 2 to 95 wt % of a para-aramid polymer and 5-98 wt % of a solid additive material, to a total of 100 wt %, and wherein the aramid polymer is dissolved in the solvent; or coagulating the dope by means of a rotor-stator apparatus in which the polymer solution is applied through the stator on the rotor so that the precipitating polymer-additive composite particle is subjected to shear forces while they are in a plastic deformable stage.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of making the same. The device includes a semiconductor substrate having an AlGaN layer on a GaN layer. The device also includes first contact and a second contact. The average thickness of the AlGaN layer varies between the first contact and the second contact, for modulating the density of an electron gas in the GaN layer between the first contact and the second contact.

Abstract: A variable gain amplifier circuit (300) comprising a first transistor (310) and a second transistor (312); and an additional transistor (320). The first transistor (310) and second transistor (312) are arranged as common base transistors. The additional transistor (320) is configured to provide part of a translinear loop with the first (310) and second transistors (310). A current through the conduction channel of the first transistor (310) is configured to contribute to an output of the variable gain amplifier circuit current. The circuit (300) is configured such that a current through the conduction channel of the second transistor (312) is copied to the additional transistor (322).

Abstract: A distributed system architecture is described for control of a Set Top Box (STB). The architecture employs server software implemented as JSON middleware, and provided on the STB 32 as a local server, as well as on a Tooling Device 34 and a Control Application 36. The distributed system facilitates communication with the STB over a data network such as the internet. A remote client device running a browser 30 can interact with the STB 32 to access STB functionality 32.

Abstract: The different electrical components and cables arranged in the B flange of an electric motor can be installed only with difficulties and are complicated and time-consuming due to the restricted space conditions in the B flange. In order to improve this, it is proposed to recess the B flange's 3 front side 10 facing away from the electric motor 1 at least in sections with respect to an imaginary surface normal to the longitudinal axis of the electric motor 1 in the direction toward the motor housing 2, and to shape the B flange cover's 9 front face resting against the B flange 3 in a mirror-inverted manner to thereby improve the accessibility to the inside of the B flange 3.

Abstract: An extraction system, including a pump to pump gas along a conduit to a check valve configured to open at an upstream pressure over a certain magnitude, a pressure sensor to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve, and a controller configured to generate a stop signal if a signal from the pressure sensor indicates that the pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve is below a certain magnitude.

Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes depositing a dielectric hard mask layer above a polymer mask under-layer; forming a photoresist mask above the hard mask layer; transferring the image of the photoresist mask onto the hard mask layer using reactive ion etching, thereby defining a hard mask; determining that a critical dimension bias of the hard mask is within or outside a specification; and changing a level of an input source power used during a subsequent reactive ion etching step to move the critical dimension bias towards a target critical dimension bias when the critical dimension bias of the hard mask is outside the specification. Additional embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Providing information as to location of a mobile station involves receiving a mobile station location request from a requesting software application at an API gateway of a wireless communications network. The API gateway provides a network-initiated request to the wireless communications network for the location of the mobile station after determining that the requesting application is authorized to receive the location of the specified mobile station. The location of the mobile station can be determined, according to either a coarse or granular location position resolution, or accuracy, based on the request of the application and/or the conditions of the wireless communication network. Information as to location of the mobile station can be produced, and provided to the requesting software application, which can be resident on the mobile station itself or at a different location/platform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to plants and plant parts of a watermelon variety NUN 01007 WMW, seeds from which the plant can be grown and seedless fruit produced on the plant, as well as vegetative reproductions of NUN 01007. Further, the invention relates to natural or induced phenotypic variants of the plant, such as mutants or somaclonal variants.

Abstract: A scaffold module has a floor and two upright side sections, which are hinged to lengthwise edges of the floor. Each hinge is formed by two extrusion pieces that can be pushed into each other, and is made so that the side sections can only be folded towards the floor in a direction towards each other. Each side section is made of one extrusion piece, in which a section of the extrusion piece forms a section of the hinges. The edges of the floor are formed by girders, between which there is a plastic plate. The girders are each formed of one extrusion piece, which forms the other section of the hinges.

Abstract: The invention provides an electric vehicle charging system in which the charging station and the vehicle each have a power transfer measurement unit, and a communication system for communicating data at least from the vehicle to the station. The power delivery is controlled based on a comparison of power transfer measurements made by the charging station and by the electric vehicle control system.

Abstract: Embodiments herein illustrate patterned servo data that is used to facilitate subsequent servo writing to a magnetic disk while allowing the patterned disk to be planarized with a relatively simple planarization process. One disk drive system includes a magnetic disk that is patterned with magnetic lands and nonmagnetic grooves. The magnetic disk also includes bootstrap bands that may be configured at an inner diameter of the magnetic disk. The magnetic lands of the bootstrap bands have varying sizes and are patterned as servo data having a uniform polarity of magnetization. The bootstrap bands have a width that is sufficiently narrow to support an air bearing surface of a slider. The data tracks are circumferentially configured proximate to the bootstrap bands. The slider reads the patterned servo data to facilitate writing of additional servo data in the data tracks.

Abstract: The invention relates a lockable caster wheel. The lockable caster wheel can be widely used in shopping carts, luggage carts, strollers, turnover carts, stretcher cars and many other trolleys. The controlling mechanism of the lockable caster wheel comprises a controller which comprises a signal receiving device and a locking device which is controlled by the controller. The locking mechanism further comprises a revolving damper which comprises a shell having a restricting structure and a damping wheel located inside the shell. The shell, through its restricting structure, separates from or connects with the locking device to form unlocked or locked states. The damping wheel connects with the wheel assembly. The caster wheel uses a damper. Beyond the allowed area of use, the trolleys can be slowly pushed for a few of meters because of the damper effect, but it will not suddenly stop completely. Therefore it will not present danger to the users.

Abstract: The invention relates to a porous membrane having a particle filtration value of at least 10 under U.S. Military Standard MIL-STD-282 (1956), where the porous membrane is a polyethylene membrane. The membranes according to the invention are particularly useful for filters such as ASHRAE filters, HEPA filters and ULPA filters for example in heating, ventilating, respirators and air conditioning applications.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved optical fiber possessing a novel coating system. When combined with a bend-insensitive glass fiber, the novel coating system according to the present invention yields an optical fiber having exceptionally low losses. The coating system features (i) a softer primary coating with excellent low-temperature characteristics to protect against microbending in any environment and in the toughest physical situations and, optionally, (ii) a colored secondary coating possessing enhanced color strength and vividness. The secondary coating provides improved ribbon characteristics for structures that are robust, yet easily entered (i.e., separated and stripped). The optical fibers in accordance in the present invention may be incorporated into a reduced-diameter optical-fiber cable that possesses a high fiber count and a high cable fiber density.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for diagnosis of infections or inflammatory diseases of the airways and lungs with associated heart failure, wherein the marker procalcitonin or a partial sequence thereof is determined in a patient to be examined, in particular for classifying patients according to risk. The invention further relates to a diagnostic device and kit for carrying out the method.

Abstract: Gaming apparatus, e.g. an Electronic Gaming Machine (EGM) (1), includes a controller (2) for implementing e.g. a slot-machine game, a poker game or the like. The EGM (1) displays a gaming image on a display (5), e.g. virtual symbol reels or card hands, and receives player instructions via an input (6) or the like, e.g. to spin the reels or manage the cards. The EGM (1) includes a guarantee feature in which an event is guaranteed to trigger if a monitored event (e.g. of the same type as the guaranteed event) does not occur within a set amount of gameplay. A guarantee indicator (9), e.g. a numerical countdown or gauge, indicates the remaining amount of gameplay required before the guarantee feature triggers. The monitored and/or guaranteed event may be a win event or a feature event, e.g. the triggering of a bonus round, free game or the like.