Abstract: A multi-composition fiber is provided including a primary fiber material and an elemental additive material deposited on grain boundaries between adjacent crystalline domains of the primary fiber material. A method of making a multi-composition fiber is also provided, which includes providing a precursor laden environment, and promoting fiber growth using laser heating. The precursor laden environment includes a primary precursor material and an elemental precursor material.

Abstract: A water sampling device is provided that offsets for buoyancy forces and balances weight on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during flight and during the water sampling collection process. The water sampling device can attach to and be removed from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle even during flight with minimal effort. The water sampling device provides the capability to conduct the collection of water samples at remote locations by use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

Abstract: An injection needle has a point designed to pierce flesh of a living body, and has a fluid passage therethrough designed for delivery of a therapeutic agent at a delivery site within the body, the delivery site to be reached by piercing at which an injection fluid is to be delivered via the fluid passage. The outer diameter of the needle is no more than about 2.1 mm. Solid state illumination circuitry and an imaging sensor are designed to provide illumination and imaging, and are mounted within supporting structure designed to support the illumination circuitry and imaging sensor within the needle arranged for illuminating and viewing the delivery site reached by piercing.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for improving memory, cognitive performance, providing neuroprotection, and treating neurological disease or symptoms thereof are described. The compositions comprise a synergistic combination of purified Bombyx mori cocoon silk peptide fiber and refined Buglossoides arvensis seed oil, and preferably Blueberry Extract, and may be administered as a dietary supplement.

Abstract: A hybrid electric powertrain for a vehicle includes an engine, electric machine, torque converter having a pump, turbine, and torque converter clutch (“TCC”) configured, when applied, to lock the pump to the turbine, a one-way engine disconnect clutch connected to the turbine, a transmission, and a controller. A transmission input shaft directly couples to the electric machine, and is selectively coupled to the engine via the disconnect clutch. An output shaft is connectable to road wheels of the vehicle. The controller, in response to an engine-off request, determines turbine and pump speeds of the turbine and pump, respectively, registers that the engine is in an engine-off state when the pump speed is less than the turbine speed, and executes an electric vehicle (“EV”) mode shift using machine torque from the electric machine when the pump speed is zero during the engine-off state.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a method for producing a semiconductor device assembly can include defining a cavity in a conductive spacer, and electrically and thermally coupling a semiconductor die with the conductive spacer, such that the semiconductor die is at least partially embedded in the cavity. The semiconductor die can have a first surface having active circuitry included therein, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of side surfaces each extending between the first surface of the semiconductor die and the second surface of the semiconductor die. The method can also include electrically coupling a direct bonded metal (DBM) substrate with the first surface of the semiconductor die.

Abstract: A tree stand apparatus includes a rail, a plurality of steps, a plurality of cleats for engagement with a tree, and a platform that is pivotable about an axis relative to the rail between an extended position and a retracted position. The axis is at approximately the midpoint of the length of the rail.

Abstract: A method of controlling a hot wire anemometer (HWA) of a nicotine e-vaping device includes controlling, by a first PID controller, a level of power applied by the nicotine e-vaping device to the HWA based on a temperature of a heated element of the HWA and a temperature setpoint; generating a puff detection signal indicating whether or not a puff is currently occurring with respect to the nicotine e-vaping device; and while the puff detection signal indicates that a puff is not currently occurring with respect to the nicotine e-vaping device, detecting, by a second PID controller, a change in an ambient temperature of the HWA, and controlling, by the second PID controller, the temperature setpoint such that the temperature setpoint changes in response to the detected change in the ambient temperature of the HWA.

Abstract: A restraint system includes a retractor housing, a spool rotatably coupled to the retractor housing and defining an axis of rotation, a threaded rod lockable relative to the retractor housing and elongated along the axis, a nut threaded on the threaded rod, and a spring elongated from a first end to a second end. The first end is fixed relative to the spool, and the second end is fixed relative to the nut.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions comprising Z-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene and additional compounds that may be useful as refrigerants, heat transfer compositions, aerosol propellants, foaming agents, blowing agents, solvents, cleaning agents, carrier fluids, displacement drying agents, buffing abrasion agents, polymerization media, expansion agents for polyolefins and polyurethane, gaseous dielectrics, power cycle working fluids, extinguishing agents, and fire suppression agents in liquid or vapor form.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a plurality of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The semiconductor device may include sensing single-photon avalanche diodes that are sensitive to incident light and dark single-photon avalanche diodes that are shielded from incident light. The dark single-photon avalanche diodes may be used to measure one or more parameters for the semiconductor device such as breakdown voltage, dark count rate, and quench resistance. Processing circuitry may optimize a bias voltage for the semiconductor device based on information regarding one or more sensor parameters obtained using the dark single-photon avalanche diodes.

Abstract: An aspect of performing rollback of a snapshot between source and target storage systems in an asynchronous replication session in which Sr? represents a remote snapshot subject to the rollback includes suspending host input/output operations to a current source volume (Vs), determining whether a snapshot (Sr) matching the snapshot Sr? is present in the source system and, upon determining the snapshot Sr is not present in the source storage system, searching a snapshot pair (Sk, Sk?) that is closest to the remote snapshot Sr?. An aspect also includes upon determining the pair Sk, Sk? is present in existing snapsets, performing a local rollback of the Vs to Sk, and performing remote rollback including applying a difference between Sk? and Sr? to the Vs via one of a snapshot differential bitmap from the target storage system between Sk? and Sr? for the Vs, and an internal reverse direction asynchronous replication cycle.

Abstract: A power integrated circuit (IC) includes a lead frame comprising a signal lead, a power lead, and a paddle attached to one or more of the signal lead and the power lead, an electrical component supported by the paddle, and a mold material configured to enclose a portion of the lead frame and expose a surface of the paddle, wherein the power lead has a first portion extending from an edge of the mold material outside of the mold material in a first direction and a second portion enclosed by the mold material and extending from the edge of the mold material inside the mold material in a second direction to the paddle, wherein the second direction is substantially opposite to the first direction. In embodiments, the paddle is only attached to the second portion of the power lead.

Abstract: An assembly includes a dash and an airbag supported by the dash. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag in the inflated position has a first end and a second end spaced from each other in a cross-vehicle axis and an inflation chamber between the first end and the second end. The airbag includes a tube extending through the inflation chamber from the first end to the second end.

Abstract: A method for aligning a layer of photopolymers includes projecting light onto a rotating optical element and asymmetrically focusing the light transmitted through the rotating optical element onto a layer of photopolymers. The asymmetrically focused light is swept across different regions of the layer of photopolymers while a direction of polarization in the light is varied due to the rotation of the first optical element, producing a pattern of orientations for the layer of photopolymers. The method can be incorporated in a raster-scanning process to produce an alignment pattern in a layer of photopolymers with a large surface area, and is faster and provides improved precision and/or uniformity of the alignment pattern compared to currently available methods. An apparatus for aligning the layer of photopolymers is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided that automatically scale an application between private and public cloud computing platforms, while simultaneous enforcing policies ensuring private data is persistently stored on the private cloud computing platform, but not the public cloud computing platform. A traffic manager on the public platform routes traffic to instances of a web app executing on a private platform. A traffic monitor on the private platform monitors performance criteria of the private platform, and reports traffic telemetry to the traffic manager. Based on the traffic telemetry, the traffic manager may instantiate one or more instances of the web app on the public platform to handle traffic. Private data gathered by such instantiated instance(s) is persisted to storage in the private platform, but not in the public platform.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to of determining relative importance of a plurality of entities in a supply chain of a company. One way of doing this is identifying for the company, the plurality of entities in the supply chain, and determining the relative importance of each of the plurality of entities within the supply chain. The relative importance is determined via at least one processor circuit programmed to determine, for each respective entity in the supply chain, a relative buying power, a supplier revenue fraction, and an industry revenue exposure. The processor circuit is programmed to compute a relative importance score for each respective entity in the supply chain, as a function of the determined buying power, supplier fraction, and industry revenue exposure for the respective entity.

Abstract: A surgical sponge including a sponge material configured an elongate sponge having multiple compressed layers and a flattened shape characterized by a generally flat upper surface, a generally flat lower surface, with the sponge having a thickness that is substantially less than a width of the sponge, one reduced dimension end of the elongate sponge having an end length and reducing in dimension distally along the end length; stitches along the length of the sponge to compress the sponge material and maintain the layers in compression to maintain the flattened shape of the sponge; and a length of stitch material extending from the reduced dimension end to provide a structure that is engageable for use in positioning or removal of the sponge during a surgical procedure.

Abstract: A semiconductor die includes a plurality of alternating stacks of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers that are located over a substrate and that laterally extend along a first horizontal direction and that are laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction which is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a plurality of sets of memory stack structures extending through the plurality of alternating stacks, and a plurality of nested seal ring structures which include a first seal ring structure comprising having a first seal ring width between an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall thereof, and a second seal ring structure having a second seal ring width between an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall thereof, such that the first seal ring width is less than the second seal ring width.

Abstract: A photovoltaic solar cell apparatus is described herein combining the advantages of several discoveries that address the previously unsolved problem of creating high conversion efficiency solar cells at a low cost. The solar cell designs and underlying principals disclosed herein may be applied in any type of photovoltaic solar power application, such as large scale photovoltaic solar plants, rooftop panels, solar powered electronic devices, and many others.