Abstract: A cooking system includes a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive food. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to said hollow chamber. A lid is movable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position and has an interior lid cavity. An air movement device is positioned to move air through at least one of the hollow chamber and the interior lid cavity in a direction of flow. At least one vent is disposed in at least one of the lid and the housing and includes a leading end and a trailing end relative to the direction of flow. The at least one vent is openable to have a greater airflow capacity at the leading end relative to the trailing end or openable to have a greater airflow capacity at the trailing end relative to the leading end.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing hemodynamics within a patient's heart, e.g., to improve the patient's exercise capacity. In one embodiment, a system is configured to be implanted in a patient's body to monitor and/or treat the patient that includes at least one sensor configured to provide sensor data that corresponds to a blood pressure within or near the patient's heart; at least one adjustable component designed to cause blood to flow in a direction opposite to the normal direction (regurgitation) within the patient's heart; and a controller configured for adjusting the function of the at least one adjustable component based at least in part on sensor data from the at least one sensor.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein relate generally to surface-relief structures. In one embodiment, a surface-relief grating includes a plurality of grating ridges. The plurality of grating ridges includes a first set of grating ridges characterized by a first refractive index, and a second set of grating ridges interleaved with the first set of grating ridges and characterized by a second refractive index different from the first refractive index. The plurality of grating ridges is imprinted in a polymer layer by a nanoimprint lithography process and is exposed to a light pattern to form the first set of grating ridges and the second set of grating ridges that have different refractive indices.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and apparatuses for adjustable stands and mobile computing devices are provided. An example system includes a mobile computing device having a front surface with a display and a rear surface with a first magnetically susceptible region and a second magnetically susceptible region. The first magnetically susceptible region is offset from the second magnetically susceptible region in a translational dimension along the rear surface. The example system also includes an adjustable stand for the mobile computing device. The adjustable stand includes a slidable portion formed with a magnetically susceptible material to slide in the translational dimension along the rear surface. The level of magnetic attraction between the slidable portion and the second magnetically susceptible material of the mobile computing device is greater than a level of magnetic attraction between the slidable portion and the first magnetically susceptible material of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for coupling a tag to an item. The methods comprise: dispensing the tag from a tag feeder of a tag applicator; performing first operations by the tag applicator to mechanically move the tag into a nest of the tag applicator; determining if a given criteria is met based on feedback information received from at least one of a user of the tag applicator and a sensor provided with the tag applicator; and performing second operations by the tag applicator to couple the tag to the item, when a determination is made that the given criteria is met.

Abstract: An automated product dispenser for dispensing a product from a supply of product is provided. The automated product dispenser includes a chassis assembly, a drive assembly, and an isolation member. The chassis assembly includes a chassis frame, and the drive assembly includes a motor, a drivetrain, and a drivetrain housing. The isolation member mounts the drive assembly to the chassis assembly such that the drive assembly is substantially spaced apart from the chassis frame. A related method of inhibiting vibration transmission in an automated product dispenser also is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 18R441B3XF. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 18R441B3XF. Also provided by the invention are methods of using cotton variety 18R441B3XF and products derived therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 18R441B3XF with itself or another cotton variety and plants and seeds produced by such methods.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of associating, at a secondary device, secondary media content with primary media content being output at a primary device. The method includes receiving, at the secondary device, first information based upon the primary content being output at the primary device, wherein the first information includes at least one of an audio and a visual signal, determining at the secondary device second information corresponding to the first information, receiving at the secondary device one or more portions of secondary media content that have been made available by a third device, determining at the secondary device whether one or more of the portions of the secondary media content match one or more portions of the second information, and taking at least one further action upon determining that there is a match.

Abstract: A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, accessing, by a system comprising a processor, a content display configuration corresponding to a plurality of feed selections from a plurality of media content feeds, a plurality of display selections from a plurality of available displays, and a plurality of pairing selections assigning each feed selection of the plurality of feed selections to at least one display selection of the plurality of display selections, and transmitting a plurality of displayable content streams according to the content display configuration. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making a nitrogenized cold brew beverage at a low temperature and using a process that avoids the negative attributes associated with traditional cold brewing steeping methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of Formulas I-IV and compositions comprising same, including pharmaceutical compositions. The compounds of Formulas I-IV represent new salt forms of specialized pro-resolving mediators (“SPMs”) which include lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and their aspirin-triggered counterparts. The SPM salts described here contain at least one or two SPM molecules ionically bound to at least one basic function that is provided by a scaffold as described in Formulas I-IV. Also provided are methods for pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical uses of such compounds and compositions describing same.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method, apparatus and computer program product for managing a virtual machine. According to example implementations of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for managing a virtual machine. In the method, in response to receiving a backup request for the virtual machine, corresponding metadata of a corresponding object of at least one object in the virtual machine is obtained, the corresponding metadata describing multiple attributes of the corresponding object in a file system of the virtual machine. A corresponding abstract describing a basic attribute of multiple attributes of the corresponding object is generated on the basis of the corresponding metadata. An index of a backup version of the virtual machine is created on the basis of the corresponding abstract, the index comprising a corresponding path of the corresponding object in the backup version of the virtual machine.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring soil properties including soil moisture and soil temperature during an agricultural input application. Embodiments include a soil moisture sensor and/or a soil temperature sensor mounted to a seed firmer for measuring moisture and temperature in a planting trench. Additionally, systems, methods and apparatus are provided for adjusting depth based on the monitored soil properties.

Abstract: A bolt may be provided for a bolt carrier. The bolt carrier may comprise a gas inlet, a gas expansion chamber, a bolt bore, and the bolt. The gas expansion chamber that may receive a pressurized gas from the gas inlet. The bolt may be disposed in the bolt bore in the bolt carrier. The bolt may comprise a gas ring groove, a gas ring assembly disposed in the gas ring groove, and at least one gas port. The gas ring assembly may be adjacent to the bolt bore. The at least one gas port may provide a pathway for the pressurized gas from the gas expansion chamber to a volume underneath the gas ring assembly to increase a radial sealing force between the gas ring assembly and the bolt bore.

Abstract: A sheet generator circuit is described. The sheet generator includes electronic circuitry to receive a line group of image data including multiple rows of data from a frame of image data. The multiple rows are sufficient in number to encompass multiple neighboring overlapping stencils. The electronic circuitry is to parse the line group into a smaller sized sheet. The electronic circuitry is to load the sheet into a data computation unit having a two dimensional shift array structure coupled to an array of processors.

Abstract: The disclosed technologies address various technical and user experience problems by augmenting the functionality provided by virtual on-screen trackpads without requiring users to switch between modes. In this way, users can access extended functionality without interfering with expected traditional trackpad functionality (e.g. moving a cursor, clicking, and scrolling). In particular, technologies are disclosed for modeless digital pen input to a virtual trackpad, modeless gestures for summoning user interfaces, modeless gestures utilizing position relative to adjacent user interfaces, and modeless cursor control and interaction with virtual touch targets.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes, by a computing system, determining a sample point within a texture. The sample point corresponds to a specified output position in a display system. The method includes accessing texels in the texture that are used for determining properties of the sample point. Each identified texel includes a color and a transparency level. The method includes determining an interpolation optimization by comparing the colors and transparency levels of the identified texels. The method includes determining, according to the determined interpolation optimization, a pixel color and a pixel transparency level for the sample point using the identified texels. At least one of the pixel color or the pixel transparency level is determined by copying the colors or transparency levels of the texels, respectively, without performing interpolation. The method includes providing the determined pixel color and the determined pixel transparency level for the sample point for display.

Abstract: A surgical stapler, cartridge assembly, and related methods are disclosed. A cartridge assembly for a surgical stapler has a first cartridge portion; and a second cartridge portion; wherein each of the first and second cartridge portions has an upper surface for engaging tissue, and a slot to house a staple. A proximal portion of each of the first and second cartridge portions has a guide portion having at least one of a channel or a protrusion for guiding at least a portion of an i-beam. The second cartridge portion is removably couplable to the first cartridge portion to form a channel.

Abstract: The invention contemplates a copolymer which is a graft or block copolymer useful to change the ocular surface temperature and other characteristics of biological or contact lens surfaces. Methods for use of these formulations and coatings to increase the temperature of the skin, mucous membranes, eye or eyelids will help treat many conditions including blepharitis and non-healing ulcers. Methods to decrease evaporation, improve wettability and stabilize the tear film, and lubricate biological surfaces in a subject, for example, in the treatment of dry eye syndrome, and to improve contact lens tolerability, are provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for content processing are described. In one embodiment, gaming data is received from a gaming source server. The gaming data associated with a game. A content signal is received from a signal source during presentation of programming content. The programming content is associated with the content signal and the game. A determination of whether the content signal includes the trigger is made. The device content is presented using the gaming data. The device content is in synchronization with the presentation of the programming content based on a determination that the content signal includes a trigger. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.