Abstract: A gas turbine engine including: a first turbine rotor assembly including a plurality of first turbine rotor blades extended within a gas flowpath; and a casing surrounding the first turbine rotor assembly, wherein the casing comprises an outer casing wall extended around the first turbine rotor assembly; a plurality of vanes extended from the outer casing wall and within the gas flowpath at a location aft of the first turbine rotor assembly; and a thermal control ring positioned outward along a radial direction from the outer casing wall, and wherein the thermal control ring comprises a body and a plurality of pins, and wherein the plurality of pins extend between the outer casing wall and the body.

Abstract: A roof vent member with an integrated fan assembly is disclosed. The fan assembly may be installed, removed, replaced, maintained, etc. from underneath the roof without having to get on the roof or otherwise disrupt the roof envelope. The roof vent may include a subflashing, the fan assembly, sealing elements, screens, and other features. A secondary roof vent member may be included which may include solar panels. Associated methods of using the vent members, such as installing, removing, and replacing the vent member or various components thereof, are further disclosed.

Abstract: A proportional valve is provided that comprises an input port (3) and an output port (5), with a diaphragm (19) therebetween. A diaphragm plate (21) with a pilot orifice (31) formed therethrough is mounted to the diaphragm (19). The valve has a solenoid (7) comprising an armature (15) and a field winding (17), with the armature being movable in an opening direction in response to a magnetic field generated by the field winding. A spring assembly (13) is arranged to provide a biassing force to the armature (15) in its closing direction. In its closed position, the diaphragm plate (21) sits in a main orifice (20) between the input and output ports to block flow of fluid therebetween, with the armature (15) blocking the pilot orifice (31). Opening movement of the armature (15) opens the pilot orifice (31) to allow fluid to flow therethrough, in turn allowing the diaphragm plate (21) to move out of the main orifice (20) to create a gap allowing flow of fluid from the input port (3) to the output port (5).

Abstract: A locking system can comprise a screw head without threads and a thread created only inside a bore of a bone plate. The machining of thread geometry can thus pertain to the screw body, while the screw head can be formed by curved surfaces and contact surfaces by simple machining process. A plurality of screws can be implemented, and each bone plate can have a larger number of bores for accepting the screws than the number of screws. The said locking screw can be used with other bone plates having continuous or partial threads created inside their bores.

Abstract: An ablation device and method for pulsed field ablation, the device comprising a catheter including an expandable basket, a set of electrodes formed on the expandable basket, and a pulse generator suitable for generating electric pulses wherein the pulse generator being in electrical connection with the set of electrodes. The expandable basket is formed of a braided mesh of filaments, wherein the filaments are made of nonconductive material, wherein at least portion of the filaments comprises a lumen, wherein the filaments further include electrodes and conductive wires. The conductive wires at least partially lead inside of the lumen of the filaments and are electrically connected to the electrodes.

Abstract: A device, which serves to separate particles of a bulk material, which is deliverable at an input location and is removable processed in different or at least approximately unitary particle sizes at an output location, includes at least one separating element, which has a metal separating plate with through-openings provided therein, which separating element can be provided with ultrasonic energy and for this purpose is connected to an ultrasonic transducer and which is held by a holding device. The holding device is a mounting shaft, which is held at one end or at both ends fixedly or movably, in particular rotatably and/or axially displaceable, and which at one end or at both ends is connected to an ultrasonic transducer, by means of which ultrasonic energy is couplable via the mounting shaft into the separating element, which is designed to be dimensionally stable.

Abstract: A personal item management apparatus includes a bag including opposing first and second side panels, opposing first and second end panels, and a bottom panel. In several embodiments, a first foot is formed by the bottom panel and/or the first side panel, and a second foot is formed by the bottom panel and/or the second side panel. When placed on a flat surface, the first and second feet are adapted to provide support so that the apparatus stands upright and at least a portion of the bottom panel is spaced apart from the flat surface. In several embodiments, a zipper is coupled to each of the opposing first and second side panels. A wearable band may be coupled to the zipper so that the zipper is openable and closeable by moving: the wearable band relative to the bag; and/or the bag relative to the wearable band.

Abstract: A water heater includes a tank configured to hold a fluid, a sacrificial anode located within the tank, and a controller coupled to the sacrificial anode. The controller is configured to selectively complete and break an electrical circuit connecting the tank and the sacrificial anode. The controller is also configured to measure a shorted anode current through the electrical circuit, to determine a modulation duty cycle based on a current setpoint and the measured shorted anode current, and to repeatedly complete and break the electrical circuit using the modulation duty cycle.

Abstract: A neuromodulation apparatus and method of using the same. The neuromodulation apparatus has a plurality of active electrodes electrically isolated from each other and arranged in at least one electrodes array, at least one reference electrode, a pulse generator electrically connected to each active electrode of the plurality of active electrodes and configured to selectively transmit electric pulses to each of the plurality of active electrodes and a control unit coupled to the electrical pulse generator and adapted to measure a resistance and/or a current-voltage characteristic between each active electrode of the plurality of active electrodes and the at least one reference electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a filtering facepiece respirator. The respirator includes a mask body having an anterior side portion, a posterior side portion, a middle portion, a first side portion, a second side portion, a top side portion, a bottom side portion and outer edge portions. The respirator further includes a primary port positioned at the anterior middle portion of the mask body and a detachable primary port adapter which is positioned over and engages the primary port. The respirator may further include an oxygen port and oxygen port adapter and a luer port and luer port adapter.

Abstract: A tilting element of a manipulation stage uses a movement apparatus comprising a linear actuator attached to a fixed part and connected to a blade. The blade is attached at an end to a bottom side of a movable part to tilt the movable part relative to the fixed part. A tilt angle of the movable part relative to the fixed part is changed by extending and retracting the movable part of the linear actuator and thus winding and unwinding of the blade on the bottom side of the movable part.

Abstract: A box construction lock with a strike plate assembly is provided. The box construction lock includes a locking mechanism with a locking latch-bolt, located in a lock housing, so that in the lock locked position, the locking latch-bolt is at least partially in the strike plate assembly, and there is adjustment range between the lock housing and the locking mechanism of the lock housing, so that the lock housing has at least two positions relative to the locking mechanism.

Abstract: A gearbox assembly for power take off from an electric motor of an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprising a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, is disclosed. The worm shaft incorporates one or more external helical worm teeth. A main bearing assembly supports the worm shaft at an end closest to the motor. A tail bearing assembly supports the worm shaft at an end furthest from the motor, in which at least the tail bearing assembly is free to move relative to the housing through a limited range of motion that enables the worm shaft to move radially away from the axis of the wheel gear. The gearbox assembly further comprises a flexible coupler which connects the worm shaft at the main bearing end to a power take off from the motor so as to transfer torque from the motor to the worm shaft.

Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for 3D or 2.5D electronic communication, such as holographic communication. Two-dimensional image data is generated by a camera that has imaged at least part of a three-dimensional head including a face of a conference participant is obtained. A photo-realistic 2.5-dimensional or three-dimensional representation of at least part of the head is reconstructed using the two-dimensional image data. The three-dimensional representation of the at least part of the head includes a reconstruction of an area missing from the two-dimensional image data. One or more artificial neural networks, such as but not necessarily limited to a convolutional neural network and/or a multilayer perceptron neural network, may be used for the reconstruction.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing of rods of a continuous material strand comprising a feeding unit for feeding material strand, a guiding unit for guiding material strand, a compressing unit for compressing the strand and forming a continuous rod of the material strand, and an object feeding unit for feeding an object to the compressing unit. The apparatus is characterised by being provided with a cutting unit for lengthwise cutting of the material strand into at least two partial strands, whereas the partial strands are fed through the guiding unit to the compressing unit. It is provided with a system for adjusting the position of at least one cutting element in the cutting unit so as to adjust the widths of the partial strands thus determining the point of insertion of the object being inserted.

Abstract: The installation according to the invention has a practical and effective arrangement, comprising an operating table, a robot for posterior spine surgery, as well as a bridge table that comprises, in part, two uprights designed to be separated from the operating table when the installation is in use, while being arranged and rising from the ground on either side of a patient recumbent on the operating table and, in part, a support platform for the robot, this platform resting on the uprights so that, during use, it lies over the patient recumbent on the operating table and being designed, during use, to support the robot extending directly above the spine of the patient recumbent on the operating table.

Abstract: A framing device for a glass floor unit utilizing a shield connected to the glass floor unit and at least one tab connected to the shield. A threaded member selectively interacts with the tab to adjust the vertical position of the glass floor and to hold down the glass floor relative to a support connected to an edifice foundation.

Abstract: The present application is concerned with methods for increasing the bioavailability and/or activity of agents and in particular allows selective targeting of an agent to, or via, the liver or allows the liver to be bypassed. By selecting which of saturated fatty acids (SFA), short chain fatty acids (SCFA), medium chain fatty acids (MCFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and long chain fatty acids (LCFA) are present in a composition and which predominates it is possible to substantially boost bioavailability and also to selectively target whether an agent is delivered to, or via, the liver or alternatively bypasses the liver. The approach is a versatile platform technology which may be applied to agents in general helping achieve better and more efficient delivery. In one preferred embodiment particular carotenoids are employed to further influence whether delivery is to, or via, the liver, or bypasses the liver.