Abstract: A method for producing a preparation for fiber length measurement includes: a preliminary dispersion process of adding fibers and a dispersion medium with a viscosity of 500 Pa·s to 10,000 Pa·s to a sealable container so as to give a concentration of the fibers of 0.1% by mass or less and shaking the container to prepare a preliminary dispersion liquid; a dispensing process of dispensing part of the preliminary dispersion liquid to another sealable container; a dilution process of adding the dispersion medium to the dispensed preliminary dispersion liquid so as to give a concentration of the fibers of 0.005% by mass or less and shaking the container to prepare a dispersion liquid for measuring fiber length; and a casting process of spreading part of the dispersion liquid for measuring fiber length onto a base having light transparency.

Abstract: A vertical transistor is provided that includes a base structure and a superlattice structure overlying the base structure. The superlattice structure comprises a multichannel ridge having sidewalls. The multichannel ridge comprises a plurality of heterostructures that each form a channel of the multichannel ridge. The vertical transistor also includes a source region that overlies the base structure and is in contact with a first end of the superlattice structure, a floating drain that overlies the base structure and is in contact with a second end of the superlattice structure, and a drain. When the vertical transistor is in an ‘ON’ state, current flows from the source region through the channels of the multichannel ridge to the floating drain, which funnels the current to the drain through at least a portion of the base structure.

Abstract: In general, a smart door alarm and locking mechanism and methods for use thereof are provided for maintaining security while providing ease of access to a fuel dispenser. In an exemplary embodiment, the methods and devices are used in fuel dispensing devices for providing fuel to a vehicle. However, the methods and devices can be utilized in any device having a payment system where security and access are both required. In some embodiments, the described methods and systems include a door alarm and door lock kit that allow unlocking one or more doors in a housing of a fuel dispenser and simultaneously disabling or de-activating respective door alarm sensor(s). In a similar manner, the door can be locked and the door alarm sensor activated or re-activated substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: Provided are a pretensioner, a retractor, and a seat belt device which can achieve both securing of the strength of a power transmission member in an initial driving stage and reduction of the sliding resistance against the power transmission member in a steady driving stage. The retractor 1 includes a spool 2 for winding up webbing for restraining an occupant and a pretensioner 3 for winding up the webbing in an emergency to remove slack. The pretensioner 3 includes a ring gear 31 connected to the spool 2 and a power transmission device 32 for transmitting power to the ring gear 31 in an emergency. The power transmission device 32 includes a rod-shaped power transmission member 32a which transmits power to the ring gear 31 while being plastically deformed. A tip end of the power transmission member 32a has an enlarged portion 32b formed thicker than other portions of the power transmission member 32a. The enlarged portion 32b is made of the same material as the power transmission member 32a.

Abstract: Vaccine vectors capable of eliciting an immune response to enteric bacteria and methods of using the same are provided. The vaccine vectors include a polynucleotide encoding a PAL polypeptide. The PAL polypeptide may be expressed on the surface of the vaccine vector. The vaccine vector may also include a second polypeptide encoding an immunostimulatory polypeptide such as a CD154 polypeptide or an HMGB1 polypeptide.

Abstract: In a system of a computer such as an HPC having one or more motherboards mounted therein, smooth activation is executed. The computer is activated while I/O devices other than the minimum number of I/O devices required for activation of computer are hidden. Subsequently, a BIOS is activated, and a BootLoader is activated. The activated BootLoader restarts the hidden I/O devices, and recognizes the I/O devices can be used by an OS or an application.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving treatment information relating to a treatment plan for proton- or ion-beam therapy intended to irradiate a target tissue; receiving machine-limitation information relating to one or more limitations of one or more machines involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy; determining a time-optimized beam current for a proton or ion beam based on the treatment information and the machine-limitation information, wherein the time-optimized beam current minimizes the time required to deliver a required quantity of monitor units to one of a plurality of spots, wherein each of the plurality of spots is a particular area of the target tissue; and delivering the time-optimized beam current to the particular area.

Abstract: A method of processing times-of-arrival (TOAs), some representing emitted pulses by an emitter and generated from a pulse pattern having a fixed greatest common divisor pulse repetition interval (GPRI), the method including: creating pulse trains each including an initial TOA and a vector of added TOAs, and a corresponding pulse index vector mapping the TOA vector into the pulse pattern consistent with a known TOA tolerance and viable with a known GPRI range of the emitter type; and walking, for each pulse train, each next TOA after the added TOAs, and each next index mapping the next TOA into the pulse pattern, including checking if the pulse train extended by the next TOA and next index is consistent with the TOA tolerance, checking if the extended pulse train is viable with the GPRI range, and if both checks pass, adding the next TOA and next index to the pulse train.

Abstract: There is a problem that the reliability of insulation is lowered. A length L2 from a center P of a conductor layer 334 to a peripheral edge portion of an insulating member 333 is formed to be longer than a length L1 from the center P of the conductor layer 334 to a peripheral edge portion of a protruding portion 307a of a base member 307. In other words, a base end surface 308 of the peripheral edge portion of the protruding portion 307a is located on an inner side with respect to an insulating member end surface 336 of the peripheral edge portion of the insulating member 333. Further, the insulating member end surface 336 of the insulating member 333 and a conductor layer end surface 344 of the conductor layer form an end surface at the same position.

Abstract: A system to collect and store in a special data structure arranged for rapid searching massive amounts of data. Performance metric data is one example. The performance metric data is recorded in time-series measurements, converted into unicode, and arranged into a special data structure having one directory for every day which stores all the metric data collected that day. The performance metric data is collected by one or more probes running on machines about which data is being collected. The performance metric data is compressed prior to transmission to a server over any data path. The data structure at the server where analysis is done has a subdirectory for every resource type. Each subdirectory contains text files of performance metric data values measured for attributes in a group of attributes to which said text file is dedicated. Each attribute has its own section and the performance metric data values are recorded in time series as unicode hex numbers as a comma delimited list.

Abstract: A tail kit assembly of a guided munition having a tail kit base connected to a trailing end of a projectile body. The tail kit base is rotatable relative to the projectile body. A trimmable rudder has forward and rearward ends. The forward end is pivotally coupled to the tail kit base, such that the trimmable rudder can, relative to the tail kit base, between retracted and extended orientations. An actuator is fixed between the tail kit base and the rearward end of the trimmable rudder. The actuator is electrically coupled to an onboard guidance system that controls actuation of the actuator to pivot the trimmable rudder between the retracted orientation and the extended orientation.

Abstract: Controlling a wind turbine comprising a wind sensor, a number of pitch-adjustable rotor blades, a yawing system, and a control system for yawing the wind turbine rotor relative to the wind and for changing the pitch of the rotor blades. A wind parameter is measured by the wind sensor, and is indicative of the wind speed and/or the wind direction relative to the wind turbine. At least a first and a second set of wind correction parameters for different production modes of the wind turbine are obtained. The production mode of the wind turbine is then determined, which may be one of at least normal operation or non-production, and the measured wind parameter is then adjusted as a function of the set of wind correction parameters corresponding to the production mode at the time of adjusting. Hereby a more precise wind parameter is obtained which can be used in the controlling of the turbine.

Abstract: One example includes a system control architecture that includes local control systems to provide respective condition signals associated with situational awareness conditions of an associated system architecture. A central system controller receives the condition signals, generates a control scheme for control of operational aspects of the associated system architecture based on the condition signals, and generates control signals based on the control scheme. The control scheme defines contributions of each of the local control systems to a control authority of each of the operational aspects. Operational components provide mechanical control of each of the operational aspects of the associated system architecture in response to the respective control signals to implement the control scheme.

Abstract: Systems and methods to diagnose sarcoidosis are described. In addition to diagnosing sarcoidosis, the systems and methods can distinguish sarcoidosis from tuberculosis. Further disclosed is a cDNA library and methods of its use for reliably identifying sarcoidosis markers.

Abstract: An intravascular imaging system can include a catheter, a position sensor, and an intravascular imaging engine for receiving information from the catheter and the position sensor. The position sensor can include a reference element and a movable element, which can have a movable element position that is correlated to the position of an imaging transducer in the catheter. The relative position between the movable element and a reference element can be determined and can correspond to the relative movement of the transducer within a patient's vasculature. The imaging engine can receive position information from the position sensor and image information from the catheter and generate a display using the received information. Because relative movement of the transducer can be determined, spatial relationships between sets of imaging data can be determined, and image data from multiple transducer locations can be combined into one image.

Abstract: Various implementations include a light bar system for a steering wheel of a vehicle that includes a high intensity light source, a light diffusing layer, and an outer lens. For example, in certain implementations, the light diffusing layer is disposed between a plurality of high intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs) and an outer lens, and the light diffusing layer causes the light from the LEDs to appear as a continuous stream of light across a length of the lens and provides sufficiently bright lighting to warn or communicate with the driver in various ambient lighting conditions. In certain implementations, the outer lens is colored to blend in with the rest of the steering wheel when the LEDs are not activated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for downloading and installing software updates upon an irrigation control unit (ICU). Some of the disclosed embodiments include error checking and integrity verification procedures which help ensure that the new software is properly installed. In some embodiments the update is coordinated in conjunction with the ICU's regular contact with a control server.

Abstract: A system and method is described in which vehicles are configured to collect driver and vehicle event data, selectively compress and encode the collected driver and vehicle event data, and communicate the compressed and encoded data wirelessly to one or more telematics service providers. Servers poll this driver event data periodically, process it, and present multiple methods to end users by which they are able to view and analyze it. The present system permits fleet managers to use this driver event data, received through a report or notification, or pulled directly from a web-based portal, to monitor, correct or reward driver behavior, and to implement driver education and training programs.

Abstract: A novel surgical lens system including a lens and a reflective element. The lens is placed on, or above, a cornea of an eye of a subject for enabling inspection of the eye. The reflective element is incorporated into the lens. The reflective element reflects a light beam toward the eye of the subject. The reflective element increases the divergence of the light beam, such that the divergence of the reflected light beam is larger than the divergence of the light beam. The light beam is emitted by a non-invasive light source positioned externally to the eye.