Abstract: A Fiber-fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster (FPPT) utilizes a motor to feed PTFE fiber to its discharge region, enabling high PPT propellant throughput and variable exposed fuel area. A highly parallel ceramic capacitor bank lowers system specific mass. Impulse bits (I-bits) from 0.057-0.241 mN-s have been measured on a thrust stand with a specific impulse (Isp) of 900-2400 s, representing an enhancement from state-of-the-art PPT technology. A 1U (10 cm×10 cm×10 cm, or 1 liter) volume FPPT thruster package will provide 2900-7700 N-s total impulse, enabling 0.6-1.6 km/s delta-V for a 5 kg CubeSat. A 1U design variation with 590 g propellant enables as much as ˜10,000 N-s and a delta-V of 2 km/s for a 5 kg CubeSat. Increasing the form factor to 2U increases propellant mass to 1.4 kg and delta-V to 10.7 km/s for an 8 kg CubeSat.

Abstract: A method of surgically preparing a sacroiliac joint comprising: a) approaching a sacroiliac joint space with a joint preparation tool comprising a cutting element including an exterior having an asymmetric cutting band such that the first side includes a first surface having a first texture and the second side includes a second surface having a second texture, the first and second textures being different such that the first texture is substantially smoother than the second texture; and b) delivering at least a portion of the cutting element non-transversely into the sacroiliac joint space for decortication, the cutting element being oriented in the sacroiliac joint space such that the first surface opposes the generally softer sacrum and the second surface opposes the generally harder ilium in order to more aggressively prepare the surface of the ilium while not over-preparing the sacrum to provide a robust biologic environment for intra-articular fusion.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1-R6, a, b, and X are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and processes and intermediates for preparing such compounds.

Abstract: Clearcoat compositions and methods for forming a clearcoat compositions are provided. In one example, a clearcoat composition includes a binder portion A that includes a polyaspartic ester resin. An activator portion B includes a polyol-modified isocyanate that is a reaction product of a polyisocyanate component and a polyol component. The polyol component includes polycaprolactone polyol.

Abstract: The disclosure describes compositions containing PEGylated compounds using linkers, bivalent polysaccharide covalent PEG compounds, and methods of bivalent polysaccharide-PEG compounds in the development of multivalent vaccines. PEGylated conjugation of capsular polysaccharides to carrier proteins is carried out using homo-bifunctional and/or hetero-bifunctional linkers of specific lengths. Incorporation of bifunctional PEG linkers induces higher titers of functional antibodies with high avidity, eliciting higher immunologic memory, and reduced carrier protein effect. This provides immunochemically cross-reactive capsular polysaccharides wherein one or more cross-reactive capsular polysaccharides are covalently PEG compounded sequentially or concurrently to carrier protein using bifunctional linkers bearing the same or different functional groups.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and a method for identifying sediment in an interior cavity of a hollow cylindrical body. The system may include one or more acoustic sensor coupled to the hollow cylindrical body configured to receive sound waves generated by an object travelling through the hollow cylindrical body and generate acoustic measurements; and one or more processor configured to: receive the acoustic measurements from the one or more acoustic sensor; compare the acoustic measurements with one or more prestored acoustic measurement associated with a type of sediment in the hollow cylindrical body; identify the sediment based on the comparison, and send the identification to a user device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting stock on hand for predefined markdown plans are provided. An example method can include retrieving retail item sales data; aggregating normal sales and markdown sales; converting normal sales and markdown sales to a weekly time series normal sales and a weekly time series markdown sales; creating a plurality of disruptive time series; receiving one or more markdown plans; performing prediction on each disruptive time series; obtaining an average of predictions from each disruptive time series to find a final sales prediction; calculating a predicted stock on hand; and rerunning the disruptive time series model to automatically recalculate the predicted stock on hand and the predicted incremental impact in real time when the processor receives a change made on the markdown plans.

Abstract: A anode for use in a lithium ion battery is composed of an electrode substrate, a paste distributed on the electrode substrate and comprising a plurality of Si, Ge, or SiGe nanocrystals intercalated with lithium ions, and a binder mixed with the paste to adhere the paste to the electrode substrate. The lithiated anode paste may be formed by an electrodeposition process or an electrolytic process.

Abstract: A surgical fluid management system includes a console and a cassette for delivering fluids to a surgical site. The console has a pump rotor and a pressure-sensing membrane. The cassette has a cassette housing, a flexible fluid delivery tube in the housing. The flexible fluid delivery tube has a lumen configured to interface with the pump rotor and to deliver a flow of fluid from a fluid source as the rotor is rotated. A pressure-transmitting membrane is located in a wall of the cassette housing and in fluid communication with said fluid delivery lumen,. The pressure-transmitting membrane flexes outwardly in response to a positive pressure in the lumen and flexes inwardly in response to a negative pressure in the lumen. The pressure-transmitting membrane detachably adheres to or presses against the pressure-sensing membrane to cause the pressure-sensing membrane to move in response to pressure changes in the flexible fluid delivery tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

Abstract: A system that incorporates aspects of the subject disclosure may perform operations including, for example, monitoring performance parameters in a communications network, identifying a degradation in performance of one or more nodes of the communications network according the monitored performance parameters, and initiating corrective action to mitigate the degradation in performance of the one or more nodes of the communications network. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes disclosure of devices, shunts, systems, and pump systems, as shown and/or described herein. The present disclosure includes disclosure of methods to treat conditions relating to excess bodily fluids and removal of the same, as referenced herein. A device or shunt can comprise a tube or catheter configured to facilitate drainage of fluid from within the abdomen into a portion of the excretory system. A device or shunt can include a cage/mesh at an external opening and can include a filter or membrane/barrier.

Abstract: Presented herein is an interactive platform for judging an activity by a participant in an event. The platform includes a client application program downloadable to a mobile device. The program may include a database storing a mobile device identifier (ID), a user ID, user information, and location data of the device. The application may further be configured to display one or more events of the activity as well as an input for receiving a score of the activity from the user. The platform may additionally include a server system connected with the client application programs via a communication network. The server system may be configured for receiving the mobile device ID, the user ID, the user information, and the location data for the client program, and may further be configured to receive the scores from the users, and to adjust the scores according to determined bias of the associated user.

Abstract: A consent receipt management system may, for example, be configured to track data on behalf of an entity that collects and/or processes persona data related to: (1) who consented to the processing or collection of personal data; (2) when the consent was given (e.g., a date and time); (3) what information was provided to the consenter at the time of consent (e.g., a privacy policy, what personal data would be collected following the provision of the consent, for what purpose that personal data would be collected, etc.); (4) how consent was received (e.g., one or more copies of a data capture form, webform, etc. via which consent was provided by the consenter); (5) when consent was withdrawn (e.g., a date and time of consent withdrawal if the consenter withdraws consent); and/or (6) any other suitable data related to receipt or withdrawal of consent.

Abstract: A method of cooking utilizes a splatter shield to control grease splatter from food being cooked within a cooking vessel. The splatter shield includes a generally annular sidewall that slopes upwardly and radially inwardly from a lower rim to an upper rim. The upper rim of the splatter shield defines an upper opening in the splatter shield that is sufficiently large to permit the introduction of a cooking utensil therethrough, and the lower rim defines a lower opening in the splash shield. The upper opening in the splatter shield is smaller than the lower opening.

Abstract: Systems and methods for motion capture and analysis are described. The system may include a motion sensor unit configured to capture data associated with movement of an object. The motion sensor unit is configured to be directly or indirectly coupled to the movement object at a first location. The system also includes a processor to process the captured data to determine one or more values and to translate the data and/or values to correspond to a second location on the movement object located away from the first location. The data and/or values, including translated data and/or values, may be transmitted by wireless transmitter and displayed by a display unit.

Abstract: Systems, methods and controllers are provided for controlling autonomous vehicles. The systems, methods and controllers implement autonomous driver agents and a policy server for serving policies to autonomous driver agents for controlling an autonomous vehicle. The system can include a set of autonomous driver agents, an experience memory that stores experiences captured by the driver agents, a set of driving policy learner modules for generating and improving policies based on the collective experiences stored in the experience memory, and a policy server that serves parameters for policies to the driver agents. The driver agents can collect driving experiences to create a knowledge base that is stored in an experience memory. The driving policy learner modules can process the collective driving experiences to extract driving policies.

Abstract: Light emitting devices (LEDs) are described. An LED includes a light emitting semiconductor structure that includes a light emitting active layer disposed between an n-layer and a p-layer. A wavelength converting material may be disposed adjacent the light emitting semiconductor structure. The wavelength converting material includes multiple pores, at least one of which contains a second material. An absolute value of a ratio of a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second material to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the wavelength converting material is at least two in an embodiment, at least ten in another embodiment, at least 100 in another embodiment, and at least 1,000 in yet another embodiment.

Abstract: The image capture system of the present disclosure comprises an illuminator comprising at least one infrared light LED or laser and one visible light LED, an image sensor that is sensitive to infrared light and visible light, a memory configured to store instructions, and a processor configured to execute instructions to cause the image capture system to emit infrared light, receive image data comprising at least one infrared image, and determine depth maps, visible focus settings, or infrared exposure settings based on the infrared image data.

Abstract: An advanced warning light system in a motorcycle has a brake light comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) wherein each LED is configured to illuminate a first color when a motorcycle brake is depressed and wherein only a subset of LEDs are configured to illuminate when the motorcycle is decelerating not in response to the brake being depressed.