Abstract: A self-cleaning film system includes a substrate and a self-cleaning film disposed on the substrate. The self-cleaning film includes a monolayer formed from an oleophobic material, and a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer in a non-periodic pattern such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts and is surrounded by the oleophobic material. Each of the first plurality of regions includes a photocatalytic material.

Abstract: An apparatus for co-extruding a liquid around a periphery of a stream of meat as the meat is extruded into a casing includes a collar, a tube end connected within the collar, and a co-axial stuffing tube having a proximal end connected to the tube end. The stuffing tube has concentric inner and outer layers and a longitudinal channel between the inner and outer layers extending from the proximal end of the stuffing tube to a distal end of the stuffing tube. A liquid inlet port in the collar is in fluid communication with the longitudinal channel. Methods include co-extruding the liquid from the longitudinal channel at a distal end of the stuffing tube as the stream of meat is extruded from within the inner layer of the stuffing tube such that the liquid and the meat are not combined until both are extruded into a casing.

Abstract: A separation system for separating the components of a multi-phase fluid includes at least three tanks coupled together in series, with each tank enclosing a column of multi-phase fluid and having a tubular center riser that is divided into a distribution section and a gathering section, and with each center riser being configured to established a fluid circulation pattern having a radially-outward travel first leg, a vertical travel second leg, and a radially-inward travel third leg within the corresponding column of multi-phase fluid that is configured to separate at least one of a gas component, an oil component, and a particulate matter component from a water component of the multi-phase fluid, and with the height of the columns of multi-phase fluid in the first tank and the second tank being substantially equal to each other and determined by the height of a pour-over opening in the center riser of the third tank.

Abstract: A method of communicating through a less secure messaging system provides an option of masking messages sent from a second party to a first party so that they are unreadable when received by the first party. For some embodiments, it may be that they are visible, but unreadable, other embodiments, not visible. In either case, an authorization may be provided by the first party to make the masked messages readable messages, for many embodiments until a session rule makes the readable message a masked message again.

Abstract: An operating method for an electrified motor vehicle having an electric drive while being coupled to a towing vehicle by a connecting device in such a manner that the pulling forces and pushing forces between the vehicles are transmitted. The towing vehicle may communicate data to the motor vehicle used to control the motor vehicle to provide a controlled force exerted on the towing vehicle by the motor vehicle during towing. The controlled force exerted on the towing vehicle may vary based on the prevailing force direction between the vehicles, acceleration, and battery state of charge (SOC) of the motor vehicle. The controlled force may include a driving force or a braking force. The braking force may be provided by regenerative braking of the motor vehicle and/or by friction braking of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: Provided are novel compounds of Formula I: pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, which are useful in the treatment of diseases and disorders mediated by ROR?. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel compounds of Formula I and methods for their use in treating one or more inflammatory, metabolic, autoimmune and other diseases or disorders.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a data processing device and a data processing method, which are capable of securing excellent communication quality in data transmission using an LDPC code. In group-wise interleave, an LDPC code in which a code length N is 16200 bits and an encoding rate r is 10/15 or 12/15 is interleaved in units of bit groups of 360 bits. In group-wise deinterleave, a sequence of the LDPC code that has undergone the group-wise interleave is restored to an original sequence. For example, the present technology can be applied to a technique of performing data transmission using an LDPC code.

Abstract: Presented are torque converters with integrated engine disconnect devices, methods for making/using such torque converters, and electric-drive vehicles equipped with such torque converters. A torque converter (TC) assembly includes a TC housing that drivingly connects to an engine output member. A TC output member projects from the TC housing and drivingly connects to a transmission input member. A turbine with a bladed turbine shell is mounted on the TC output member and rotatable within the TC's internal fluid chamber. An impeller with a bladed impeller shell is juxtaposed with the turbine and rotatable within the fluid chamber. An engine disconnect device, which is disposed within the fluid chamber between the impeller shell and TC housing, drivingly couples the impeller to and, when desired, drivingly decouples the impeller from the TC housing and engine output member to thereby transfer torque and prevent torque transfer, respectively, between the engine and transmission.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for processing a stream of data. A maximum temporal divergence is established for data flushed to a data store from a plurality of upstream partitions. Each of a plurality of data flushers, each corresponding to an upstream partition, may obtain an item of data from a data producer. Each data flusher may determine whether flushing the data to the data store would exceed the maximum temporal divergence. Based at least on determining that flushing the data to the data store would not exceed the maximum temporal divergence, the data may be flushed to the data store for ingestion by a downstream partition and a data structure (e.g., a ledger) may be updated to indicate a time associated with the most recent item of data flushed to the data store.

Abstract: A fitness device for strength training can include: a clamshell housing including a front portion and a back portion. The front portion and the back portion can mate together to define an internal volume. The clamshell housing includes first handle portions extending circumferentially around the front portion and second handle portions extending circumferentially around the back portion. The first and second handle portions mate together to define a plurality of handles. The fitness device includes a sealed container defining a fluid chamber. The sealed container can be fixedly received within the internal volume defined by the front portion and the back portion of the clamshell housing. The fluid chamber of the sealed container can contain: a gaseous component, a first fluid component, and a second fluid component.

Abstract: Techniques provide cache service in a storage system. Such techniques involve a storage cell pool, a cache and an underlying storage system. The storage cell pool includes multiple storage cells, a storage cell among the multiple storage cells being mapped to a physical address in the underlying storage system via an address mapping of the storage system. Specifically, an access request for target data at a virtual address in the storage cell pool is received, and the type of the access request is determined. The access request is served with the cache on the basis of the determined type, where the cache is used to cache data according to a format of a storage cell in the storage cell pool. The cache directly stores data in various storage cells in the pool that is visible to users, so that response speed for the access request may be increased.

Abstract: From detecting a marker detected in an image, a physical object on which the marker is provided can be identified. Based on a determining a location of the marker in the physical world, a location and an orientation of the physical object can be determined.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer includes an ion source, an ion guide, a first gate, first and second mass filters, a fragmentation cell, a detector, and a controller. The ion source is configured to produce an ion beam from a sample. The first and second mass filters are configured to selectively transmit ions within a mass-to-charge range and reject ions outside of the mass-to-charge range. The detector is configured to measure the intensity of the transmitted ion beam. The controller is configured to close the first ion gate to prevent ions from entering the first mass filter, switch a first quadrupole voltage of the first mass filter to a voltage of a first transition, and open the first ion gate to allow ions to enter the first mass filter, the opening offset from the switching by at least the time required to adjust the voltage of the first mass filter.

Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for assisting with task completion are provided. A natural language input may be received. A natural language processing engine may be applied to the natural language input. A primary task associated with the natural language input may be identified. A plurality of subtasks for completing the primary task may be identified from the natural language input. A determination may be made from the natural language input that the primary task or one of the plurality of subtasks is more important than other tasks. The primary task and the plurality of subtasks may be added to a list of tasks in a task completion application. An indication of importance may be associated in the task completion application in association with the task or subtask that is determined to be more important.

Abstract: Systems and methods for developing and utilizing a contactability profile are disclosed. Contact information may be managed by receiving activity data associated with an entity, processing the received activity data, generating at least one contactability profile associated with the entity based upon a result of the processing, and storing the generated contactability profile.

Abstract: A snapshot of data from a table associated with a particular user may be generated. Tree data structures that are distributed across multiple computer systems may be accessed. Each of the tree structures may include data associated with one or more users. At least one tree data structure of the tree data structures that includes data associated with the particular user of the one or more users may be identified. The at least one tree data structure may then be filtered. Filtering may comprise identifying only data that is associated with the particular user. A snapshot of the data associated with the particular user may be generated. Generating the snapshot of the data associated with the particular user comprises generating a data structure that is configured to map to each data page of the at least one tree data structure that includes data associated with the particular user.

Abstract: An automated teller machine (ATM) may include an input component and one or more processors. The input component may be configured to detect multi-factor input associated with an account. The multi-factor input may include at least two of: a sequence of characters input via the input component, a force with which at least one character, of the sequence of characters, is input via the input component, a length of time over which at least one character, of the sequence of characters, is input via the input component, or a combination of at least two characters, of the sequence of characters, that are input concurrently via the input component. The ATM may receive the multi-factor input, validate the multi-factor input in association with the account, and selectively permit or deny access to one or more actions associated with the account based on validating the multi-factor input.

Abstract: Controlling a multi-device module includes a physiological sensor configured to sense physiological characteristics of a subject and generate a signal indicative of an instantaneous physiological state. A first device is configured to generate a first signal indicative of an operating state of the first device. A second device is configured to generate a second signal indicative of an operating state of the second device. A remote-control device includes a repository for storing computer executable files aggregated from a plurality of changing private networks. The remote-control device includes an electronic record (ER) client to make a wireless connection with each of the private networks and to query ER database associated with the private networks for electronic records residing within the private networks.