Abstract: Aspects and techniques of the present disclosure relate to an alignment device that includes a groove-type alignment structure with a support region for receiving an optical fiber inserted along a fiber insertion axis. The optical fiber has a first side and a second, opposite side. The groove-type alignment structure engages the first side of the optical fiber. The alignment device includes a stabilization structure that engages the first side of the optical fiber and a first angled transition surface that engages the second, opposite side of the optical fiber. The present disclosure also relates to an alignment system that includes a first housing piece; a second housing piece adapted to mate with the first housing piece; and a flat structure positioned between the first and second housing pieces.

Abstract: An aspect of performance optimization in a storage system environment includes providing a metadata structure that describes a storage space of a storage system. For each storage object of a plurality of storage objects, an aspect includes monitoring input/output (IO) patterns for IO operations conducted, monitoring deduplication characteristics of the storage object, and configuring local mapping layer parameters. An aspect further includes modifying local object metadata in the metadata structure as a function of the monitoring and the configuring.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for actively controlling a derailleur. A derailleur system includes a cassette including a number of sprockets, a drive unit that drives the cassette, and a chain linking the drive unit with the cassette. A derailleur is configured to guide the chain around the cassette, the derailleur including a swing arm rotatable at a pivot assembly to maintain tension on the chain. A lock selectively locks the swing arm from rotating.

Abstract: The current disclosure provides a process for enzymatically converting a saccharide into allulose. The invention also relates to a process for preparing allulose where the process involves converting fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) to allulose 6-phosphate (A6P), catalyzed by allulose 6-phosphate 3-epimerase (A6PE), and converting the A6P to allulose, catalyzed by allulose 6-phosphate phosphatase (A6PP).

Abstract: A data processing system including a processor and machine-readable media including instructions for the processor. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to monitor events in a plurality of communications channels associated with a user, identify monitored events that are determined to be pertinent to the user, sort the identified events by priority to create a prioritized list of events, monitor interactions with the data processing system by the user for a task initiation signal, and, in response to detecting the task initiation signal, cause display of the prioritized list of events to the user on a display device.

Abstract: The instant disclosure is directed to methods of improving bone-soft tissue healing using biocompatible electrospun polymer fibers. In one embodiment, a method may include locating a portion of a subject's bone, affixing a tendon or ligament to the bone using a hardware fixture, and placing a patch comprising at least one electrospun polymer fiber in physical communication with both the bone and the tendon or ligament. In some embodiments, the bone may be a humerus, and the tendon or ligament may be a supraspinatus tendon. In certain embodiments, the patch may comprise substantially parallel electrospun polymer fibers, and may be placed such that the fibers are also substantially parallel with the long axis of the tendon or ligament.

Abstract: A cleaning device (10, 110, 210) may be a card-like member such as a flap (16, 116), integrally formed with a dispenser container (12), or a slotted member (36) mounted on a stand-alone cleaning device (110). A cleaning wipe fabric (22, 122) has a modulus of stiffness which is high enough to bridge a plurality of cleaning slots (26a-26d, 126a-126d) and hold the fabric out of contact with the slot floor surfaces (26a?), and low enough to be deflected by a fiber optic end being cleaned to sag within the cleaning slot to better enclose and clean the tip of the fiber optic end. Used cleaning fabric (22, 122) can easily be advanced or removed as needed to avoid using the same area of fabric for cleaning more than once.

Abstract: This disclosure describes methods for remediating subterranean-formed metal-polymer complexes in wells in subterranean formations. In particular, these methods utilize a peracetic acid remediation mixture. The peracetic acid remediation mixture is injected into a subterranean formation adjacent to a well at a pressure below the fracture pressure of the formation. A sufficient contact time is allowed and then the peracetic acid remediation mixture is pumped from the subsurface. This has been shown to degrade, and thus remediate, polymer-containing, subterranean-formed metal-polymer complexes in shale formations.

Abstract: The use of pectins and/or polymers to prevent nicotine oxidation in tobacco containing products is disclosed. These polymers may be naturally occurring anionic polymers or synthetic polymers. These pectins and/or polymers prevent nicotine from oxidizing into cotinine, nicotine-cis-N-oxide, nicotine-trans-N-oxide, and/or nicotine-1,1-di-N-oxide. Molluscicides, algaecides, pesticides, and stabilized nicotine compositions comprising nicotine and pectin, anionic polymers, or combinations thereof are disclosed.

Abstract: A computer system for secure data access control, according to some examples, may perform operations including: receiving first data from a first client associated with a first user; using a first data access agent to store the first data in a first data store, the first data access agent having access to the first data store and not having access to a second data store; receiving second data from a second client associated with a second user; and using a second data access agent to store the second data in the second data store, the second data access agent having access to the second data store and not having access to the first data store.

Abstract: A drive unit having motor output shaft that is connected to a sun gear is connected to one or more planetary gears that are connected to a planetary gear housing. The housing is connected to planetary gear assembly pinion gear, which is connected to a ring gear. A first side of the ring gear is connected to a first clutch drum and the second side of the ring gear is connected to a second clutch drum. Connected to the first clutch drum is a first plurality of clutch plates interleafed with a second plurality of clutch plates connected to a first clutch can. The first clutch can is connected to a first shaft. Connected to the second clutch drum is a third plurality of clutch plates interleafed with a fourth plurality of clutch plates connected to a second clutch can. The second clutch can is connected to a second shaft.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a chassis, a cutting deck, a chore motor, and a blade. The chassis supports several wheels. The cutting deck is supported by the chassis and defines a cutting chamber. The chore motor is electrically coupled to the battery. The chore motor includes a housing containing a coil assembly, a rotor, and a drive shaft extending out of the housing. The chore motor is attached to the cutting deck so that at least a portion of the housing and the drive shaft are positioned within the cutting chamber. The blade is coupled to the drive shaft and is configured to rotate within the cutting chamber when the chore motor rotates the rotor and drive shaft.

Abstract: A method of constructing a patient-specific orthopedic implant comprising: (a) comparing a patient-specific abnormal bone model, derived from an actual anatomy of a patient's abnormal bone, with a reconstructed patient-specific bone model, also derived from the anatomy of the patient's bone, where the reconstructed patient-specific bone model reflects a normalized anatomy of the patient's bone, and where the patient-specific abnormal bone model reflects an actual anatomy of the patient's bone including at least one of a partial bone, a deformed bone, and a shattered bone, wherein the patient-specific abnormal bone model comprises at least one of a patient-specific abnormal point cloud and a patient-specific abnormal bone surface model, and wherein the reconstructed patient-specific bone model comprises at least one of a reconstructed patient-specific point cloud and a reconstructed patient-specific bone surface model; (b) optimizing one or more parameters for a patient-specific orthopedic implant to be mounte

Abstract: Filesystem events that change a file system are detected, and information comprising metadata that describe each filesystem change event of a consecutive sequence of changes is created and associated with timestamps and point-in-time snapshots of the filesystem at the time of occurrence of the filesystem events. The information is entered into an event stream that is saved in a journal, and applied to a previously created full index of the filesystem structure in the journal to synthesize and replicate a filesystem index and structure as they existed at any desired point in time represented by the event stream. The reconstructed index and filesystem structure can be searched for a reference to an object of interest such as a filename or a directory, and the file or directory recovered and replicated using an associated PiT.

Abstract: An electronic device measures noise variability of background noise present in a sampled audio signal, and determines whether the measured noise variability is higher than a high threshold value or lower than a low threshold value. If the noise variability is determined to be higher than the high threshold value, the device categorizes the background noise as having a high degree of variability. If the noise variability is determined to be lower than the low threshold value, the device categorizes the background noise as having a low degree of variability. The high and low threshold values are between a high boundary point and a low boundary point. The high boundary point is based on an analysis of files including noises that exhibit a high degree of variability, and the low boundary point is based on an analysis of files including noises that exhibit a low degree of variability.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to solid-state electrolytes and methods of making the same. The method includes admixing a sulfate precursor including one or more of Li2SO4 and Li2SO4.H2O with one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials. The first admixture is calcined to form an electrolyte precursor that is admixed with one or more additional components to form the solid-state electrolyte. When a ratio of the sulfate precursor to the one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials in the first admixture is about 1:2, the electrolyte precursor consists essentially of Li2S. When a ratio of the sulfate precursor to the one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials in the first admixture is less than about 1:2, the electrolyte precursor is a composite precursor including a solid-state capacitor cluster including the one or more carbonaceous capacitor materials and a sulfide coating including Li2S disposed on one or more exposed surfaces of the solid-state capacitor cluster.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating air includes a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet, the housing enclosing an air treatment zone and an ozone removal zone, wherein the ozone removal zone is positioned downstream of the air treatment zone with respect to a flow direction of the air being treated, an ozone generator in the air treatment zone configured to generate ozone from the air, wherein the ozone generated by the ozone generator treats the air in the air treatment zone, catalyst in the ozone removal zone that removes at least a portion of the ozone generated the ozone generator, a particle matter (PM) filter positioned between the air treatment zone and the ozone removal zone, wherein the ozone generated by the ozone generator treats the PM filter, and an air mover positioned near the air outlet configured to draw the air through the air inlet.

Abstract: A composition comprising an ethylene-based polymer which comprises the following properties: a) MWD(conv) from 3.0 to 7.0; b) an ADF IR between 0.230 and 0.260 for molecular weight ?15,000 g/mol c) 12 from 4.0 to 6.5 g/10 min.

Abstract: A cartridge for an electronic smoking device. A housing includes a first reservoir configured to store a first liquid vaporizable material, a second reservoir configured to store a second liquid vaporizable material. A first and/or a second heating element is configured to be selectively heated by electrically energizing one or both of a first and/or a second terminal, respectively, so as to selectively produce an inhalable vapor of single flavor or of a blend of flavors. A base member between the first and second terminals may be electrically engaged by a capital assembly. The base member may define a first and second air aperture in fluid communication with the first and second heating elements, respectively. A third and a fourth terminal may be in electrical communication with the first and heating elements, respectively. The base member maybe configured to electrically energize the third and the fourth terminals.

Abstract: The invention relates to improved electrochemiluminescence assay methods for phosphorylated peptides or proteins employing phospho-specific antibodies and buffer compositions that are substantially free of inorganic phosphate.