Abstract: The present invention provides a method to ensure that distributed resources of a power distribution system remain connected to the circuitry of the power distribution system when a fault occurs at a distributed resource node to assist in identifying the location of the fault by continuing to inject current from the distributed resources into the distribution system, wherein at least one of the distributed resources is a microturbine.

Abstract: Described are devices including stimulation assemblies connectable to a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes can be configured to connect to a spinal cord at a location below a lesion of the spinal cord. The stimulation assembly can be configured to deliver stimulation to selected ones of the plurality of electrodes when the stimulation assembly is connected to the plurality of electrodes when located below the lesion of the spinal cord. Methods of using the devices are also described.

Abstract: A delayed acknowledgement transmission method and an apparatus are provided for improving communication performance of a system and a terminal by delaying an ACKnowledgement (ACK) transmission of the terminal in a handover procedure. The method includes transmitting an acknowledgement corresponding to a segment immediately upon receipt of the segment, detecting a delay condition event which is triggered when a difference between a signal strength of the source base station and a neighboring base station is equal to or greater than a predefined offset, calculating a delay value for delaying acknowledgement transmission corresponding to the segment received after detecting the delay condition event, and transmitting the segment received after the detection of the delay condition event by delaying by as much as a time corresponding to the delay value. The apparatus is capable of avoiding a router's performance degradation and reducing a packet transmission delay and packet loss.

Abstract: The present invention provides a preparation method of a metal matrix composite. The method comprises the following steps of: 1) pulverizing a solid carbon material to a micrometer size; 2) plastic deforming a metal matrix powder and dispersing the pulverized nanometer-sized carbon material into the metal matrix powder during the plastic deformation; 3) integrating the metal/carbon nano-material composite powder obtained in step 2) by using a hot forming process; and 4) heat treating the integrated bulk material at a predetermined temperature to form a composite having a metal-carbon nanophase, a metal-carbon nanoband formed by growth of the metal-carbon nanophase, or a metal-carbon nano-network structure formed by self-coupling of the metal-carbon nanoband.

Abstract: Polymer composite neutron detector materials are described. The composite materials include an aromatic polymer matrix, such as an aromatic polyester. Distributed within the polymer matrix are neutron capture agents, such as 6LiF nanoparticles, and organic or inorganic luminescent fluors. The composite materials can be formed into stretched or unstretched thin films, fibers or fiber mats.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a MEMS-fabricated variable capacitor. In one embodiment the capacitor is a comb drive comprising a plurality of plates interdigitated with a corresponding blades. As the plates move relative to the blades, the capacitance of the sensor changes. The capacitor is sufficiently sensitive to measure respiratory pressure in an animal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting location information using a navigation algorithm are provided. The method includes searching for neighboring Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, receiving, if at least one GPS satellite is detected, pseudo-range information from at least one of the detected GPS satellites and storing the received pseudo-range information, calculating a displacement of a pedestrian terminal based on step detection of a pedestrian, correcting the calculated displacement of the pedestrian terminal using the received pseudo-range information, and measuring the location of the pedestrian terminal is measured using the corrected displacement.

Abstract: The present invention is of methods of establishing and propagating human embryonic stem cell lines using feeder cells-free, xeno-free culture systems and stem cells which are capable of being maintained in an undifferentiated, pluripotent and proliferative state in culture which is free of xeno contaminants and feeder cells.

Abstract: Glucan phosphatase nucleotide or polypeptide variants of the presently-disclosed subject matter can alter the biophysical properties of starch in vitro or in planta, as well as the total starch biomass production in planta as compared to plants expressing wild-type glucan phosphatases. Plants producing the polypeptide variants of the presently-disclosed subject matter can have increased starch accumulation, increased starched biomass, and/or starch having desired biophysical properties. A method of the presently-disclosed subject matter for producing altered starch includes providing a plant that produces a glucan phosphatase polypeptide variant that comprises an amino acid mutation and collecting starch from the plant.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter includes a digital-to-analog converter comprising a capacitor divider network comprising a plurality of dividing capacitors and a dummy capacitor. The digital-to-analog converter is configured to selectively apply an input voltage and a reference voltage to the dividing capacitors and to selectively apply the input voltage and a shift voltage to the dummy capacitor. The analog-to-digital converter further includes a comparison circuit configured to compare an output of the capacitor divider network and a common mode voltage and a shift voltage generator circuit configured to generate the shift voltage. The shift voltage generator circuit may be configured to vary the shift voltage for different samples of the input voltage. For example, the shift voltage generator circuit may be configured to change the shift voltage for succeeding samples by an amount corresponding to 1/(2^M) times the reference voltage to support 2^M oversampling of the input voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing an invalid operation in a prologue and/or an epilogue of a loop includes a register file including a first region for storing a data validity value indicating whether data is valid or invalid, and a second region for storing the data; and a functional unit configured to determine whether an operation is valid or invalid based on a value of a first region of each of one or more input sources received from the register file, and output a destination including a value based on the value of the first region of each of the input sources.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting location information of mobile communication terminals is disclosed. The apparatus for correcting location information of mobile communication terminals, includes: a handler to collect location measurement information of the mobile communication terminals, and environment information containing locations of base stations and arrangements of roads or buildings from a network; a database to store the location measurement information and the environment information; an analysis unit to analyze the location measurement information and the environment information to generate correction maps; a correction map database to store the correction maps; and a service unit to refer to the correction maps and to provide a corrected location estimate service, a corrected location measurement service, or a correction-value broadcast service to mobile communication terminals which request location services.

Abstract: This document provides methods and materials related to relieving neck pain. For example, neck pain relieving devices as well as methods for making and using neck pain relieving devices to provide relief from chronic or acute neck pain by providing support to the back of the head are provided.

Abstract: Technology for blind phase-shift keying (PSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) identification of a received radio frequency (RF) signal is disclosed. One method can include: uniform sub-sampling the received RF signal to eliminate a phase contribution from a carrier frequency of the received RF signal; and computing a likelihood function of observed phase differences of the sub-sampled received RF signal of a phase sequence for each PSK modulation type. Another method can include: non-uniformly sub-sampling the received RF signal for a distribution of signal amplitudes of the received RF signal; and computing a likelihood function of the signal amplitudes of the sub-samples of the received RF signal for each modulation type.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of measuring the proliferative ability of individual patient cancer stem cells. The present invention provides a method for treating a cancer patient according to an assay of the individual patient's tumor's cancer stem cell sensitivity, by measuring the proliferative ability of cancer stem cells from the patient. By the methods of the present invention it is possible to treat individual cancer stem cells presented in tumor cells. Methods of detecting and enumerating cancer stem cells in hybrid spheroids comprised of fibroblasts and tumor cells are also provided by the present invention. The present invention also contemplates a method for drug and other treatment development, wherein the effects of a drug or combination of drugs or other treatments are determined on the individual patient's cancer stem cells.

Abstract: An implantable electrode array assembly configured to apply electrical stimulation to the spinal cord. A substantially electrically nonconductive layer of the device has a first portion positionable alongside the spinal cord that includes a plurality of first openings. The layer has a second portion that includes a plurality of second openings. Electrodes and traces are positioned inside a peripheral portion of a body portion of the device and alongside the layer. At least one of the first openings is adjacent each of the electrodes to provide a pathway through which the electrode may provide electrical stimulation to the spinal cord. At least one of the second openings is adjacent each of the traces to provide a pathway through which the trace may receive electrical stimulation. At least one trace is connected to each electrode and configured to conduct electrical stimulation received by the trace(s) to the electrode.

Abstract: A bushing adapted to secure an O-ring seal in position relative to an area of a passage permitting reciprocation of a push rod forms a generally circular bushing body with opposed end faces. The end faces are separated by a gap so as to provide the bushing with an approximately C-shaped structure. The bushing includes a plurality of locking elements resistant to axial loads imposed on the bushing by the push rod disposed at least substantially within a corresponding plurality of recesses distributed around a circumferential exterior of the bushing. Solid ribs are interspersed with the locking fingers to resist radial loads imposed on the bushing by the push rod during operation. The O-ring seal is secured in position within the passage area of the passage by an end surface of the bushing.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing a metal oxide nanowire includes the steps of: combining an amount of a transition metal or a transition metal oxide with an amount of an alkali metal compound to produce a mixture; activating a plasma discharge reactor to create a plasma discharge; exposing the mixture to the plasma discharge for a first predetermined time period such that transition metal oxide nanowires are formed; contacting the transition metal oxide nanowires with an acid solution such that an alkali metal ion is exchanged for a hydrogen ion on each of the transition metal oxide nanowires; and exposing the transition metal oxide nanowires to the plasma discharge for a second predetermined time period to thermally anneal the transition metal oxide nanowires. Transition metal oxide nanowires produced using the synthesis methods described herein are also provided.

Abstract: An electrode is provided which includes a carbon-based material coated with a film which modifies the material's potential of zero charge. A method for producing the electrode includes steps of infiltrating a woven carbon cloth with a solution containing resorcinol and formaldehyde, polymerizing the solution infiltrated woven carbon cloth, subjecting the infiltrated and polymerized woven carbon cloth to a solvent-exchange process, carbonizing the woven carbon cloth and coating the carbonized woven carbon cloth with a film.

Abstract: The new variety ‘TH-906’ ripens in mid-May in southern Georgia. The fruit of the new variety ‘TH-906’ are medium to large, with good scar, and have good firmness and flavor. The new variety ‘TH-906’ is vigorous with an estimated chilling requirement of about 550 hours at or below approximately 7° C. The asexually reproduced variety is reliably propagated vegetatively.