Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for an anti-preset and anti-reset mechanism for a retrievable packer are disclosed herein. These features may be used to prevent the packer from being actuated prematurely during deployment downhole and to prevent the packer from re-actuating during retrieval. An apparatus may include a mandrel, a slip assembly disposed about the mandrel, a collet member disposed about the mandrel and adjacent to the slip assembly, and a cover sleeve disposed about the mandrel and coupled to the collet member. A method for releasing a packer may include cutting a mandrel, sliding a cover sleeve and a collet member having a collet lug downhole with respect to the mandrel, applying force from the collet member to the slip assembly, disengaging the slip assembly from a well casing, and engaging an inner surface of the collet lug to a protrusion on the mandrel.

Abstract: A downhole drilling motor, system, and method for using same are disclosed. A downhole drilling motor can include a power section stator having a first end, a second end, an internal cavity passing therethrough. The downhole drilling motor can further include a rotor assembly positioned and fully encased in the internal cavity. The rotor assembly includes a power section rotor, a drivetrain operably coupled to the power section rotor and a bearing set. The power section rotor is positioned at the first end within the internal cavity of the power section stator. The power section rotor, the drivetrain, and the bearing set are fully encased in the internal cavity of the power section stator. Additional apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the accuracy of galvanic tool measurements is described. The system (300) may include a survey electrode (A0) and a first monitor electrode (M1?) positioned above the survey electrode. A second monitor electrode (M1) may be positioned below the survey electrode, and a first conductive wire (307) may couple the first monitor electrode to the second monitor electrode. A first measurement point (302) may be located on the conductive wire, and a first resistive element (Rm1) may be coupled to the conductive wire.

Abstract: Digital content can be broadcast in a sideband of an analog broadcast channel using multiple digital in-band on-channel (IBOC) transceivers connected in a mesh configuration to form an IBOC mesh network. The digital IBOC transceivers are positioned at various geographic locations, so that unlike traditional “HD” radio broadcasts, the IBOC broadcast transmission is spread out over a wide area, using multiple low power digital IBOC transceivers rather than being broadcast from the same location as the analog signal. An edge transceiver can limit IBOC transmission power of the IBOC transceivers to a desired portion of the power used to broadcast the analog signal. The edge server can make this determination based on measurements taken at the geographically distributed digital IBOC transceivers. The IBOC mesh network provides bi-directional communication between a mesh transceiver and a user device, and can be used to deliver user feedback.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating axial movement of a drill string using a variable valve and a controller. In some embodiments, the controller is a proportional-integral-derivative controller.

Abstract: A method of flow testing can include dispensing at least one solid material and at least one liquid into each of multiple wells in a filter plate, and then heating the filter plate with the solid material and liquid therein to an elevated temperature. A flow testing system can include a multiple well filter plate, each of the wells having disposed therein a selected combination of formation particles, a fracturing fluid and a liquid hydrocarbon, and a heating device that heats the filter plate to an elevated temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gene transfer-based method to protect a subject from diabetes or obesity. The method comprises administering to a salivary gland of the subject an AAV virion comprising an AAV vector that encodes an exendin-4 protein. Also provided are exendin-4 proteins and nucleic acid molecules that encode such exendin-4 proteins. Also provided are AAV vectors and AAV virions that encode an exendin-4 protein. One embodiment is an exendin-4 protein that is a fusion protein comprising an NGF secretory segment joined to the amino terminus of an exendin-4 protein domain.

Abstract: A system for identifying and associating merchant attributes data of a merchant with transaction data may be integrated with existing payment processing systems to provide for detailed merchant attributes data (e.g., merchant name, merchant ownership data, and merchant address data). The system may receive and modify merchant attributes data retrieved from an external source (e.g., an acquirer computer or third party to a transaction) and store the merchant attributes data in a database. The merchant attributes data may be retrieved and correlated with transaction data and provided to entities (e.g., issuer computers) involved with the transaction for authorization decisioning, fraud analysis, and data analytics.

Abstract: Methods and tools for detecting casing position downhole is presented. The method utilizes electromagnetic (EM) tools with tilted antenna systems to detect casing position. Sometimes titled antenna designs also increase EM tools' sensitivity to formation parameters, which can lead to false signals for casing detection. In addition, it is very difficult to distinguish measured signals between a casing source and a formation source. The methods presented help to distinguish between the two sources more clearly. The methods and tools presented also help to minimize those environmental effects, as well as enhance the signals from a surrounding conductive casing. The methods herein provide ideas of EM tool's design to precisely determine casing position within a certain distance to casing position.

Abstract: An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly and a dispensing body configured to receive the pod assembly. A vaporizer may be disposed in the pod assembly and/or the dispensing body. The pod assembly may include a vapor precursor compartment, a device compartment, and a vapor channel extending from the device compartment and traversing the vapor precursor compartment. The pod assembly is a smart pod configured to receive, store, and transmit information that can be communicated with the dispensing body and/or another electronic device. The proximal portion of the dispensing body includes a vapor passage and a through-hole. The vapor passage may extend from an end surface of the proximal portion to a side wall of the through-hole. The through-hole is configured to receive the pod assembly such that the vapor channel of the pod assembly is aligned with the vapor passage of the dispensing body.

Abstract: A travel joint comprises an outer housing, an inner mandrel, a first release device positioned between the outer housing and the inner mandrel, and a second release device positioned between the outer housing and the inner mandrel. The first release device is configured to actuate from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to a fluid pressure supplied to the first release device. The second release device is configured to selectively prevent and allow relative axial movement between the outer housing and the inner mandrel in response to an axial force applied to at least one of the outer housing or the inner mandrel, and the first release device is configured to prevent the application of the axial force to actuate the second release device in the locked position and allow the axial force to actuate the second release device in the unlocked position.

Abstract: A material storage unit including a bin having a bottom end, a top end, and a sidewall extending therebetween and defining an interior configured to hold particulates, where a portion of the sidewall defines an angular air flow vent having a top air inlet and a bottom air inlet. The material storage unit further includes a fill line inlet extending through one or both of the bottom end of the bin or the sidewall of the bin and in fluid communication with the interior, a venting outlet extending through one or both of the top end of the bin or the sidewall of the bin and in fluid communication with the interior, and a discharge outlet extending through the bottom end of the bin and in fluid communication with the interior.

Abstract: Hybrid inversion processing techniques are implemented that result in improved speed and accuracy of determining formation properties using log data, for example, from an multi-component induction logging tool. Logging data relating to the formation of interest is obtained and used as an input. High frequency noise is then removed from the logging data and bed-boundary determination is performed using the logging data. An adaptive low pass filter is applied to the logging data and the logging data is inverted. The inverted logging data is correct and enhanced by determining one or more weights based on one or more quality indicators. The inverted logging data may then be visually interpreted and used to adjust one or more drilling parameters.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for providing offers for linked transactions. Transaction data corresponding to a first product physically purchased using a financial service account and product identification data identifying the first purchased product are received. The transaction data and the product identification data are associated. A consumer that purchased the first product is determined based on at least the transaction data. Follow-on purchase to offer for sale to the consumer based on the product identification data is determined and a follow-up purchase offer to purchase the follow-on product is generated. The consumer is provided with the follow-on purchase offer to enable the consumer to purchase the follow-on product in an electronic commerce purchase transaction.

Abstract: A method for directionally drilling a portion of a borehole, comprising utilizing a drilling system associated with a drill string and a drill bit; rotating the drill string and placing an axial load on the drill string causing the drill string to move into compression; and stopping rotation of the drill string and with the drill string in compression, drilling a portion of the portion of the borehole while actively managing a toolface angle of the drill bit.

Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to provide a skin-effect correction. The skin-effect correction can be based on a pre-calculated correction coefficient library. In various embodiments, a skin-effect correction procedure can be applied that only uses a single-frequency R-signal measurement. In addition, an embodiment of a skin-effect correction procedure using a single-frequency R-signal measurement can be applied whenever the quality of the data from one of the multiple frequencies normally used in a multi-frequency method is reliable. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method may operate to position an electrode assembly within a fluid. The electrode assembly may include an injection electrode and a receiving electrode in spaced relation to one another. The method may include providing a series of excitation signals at a plurality of frequencies to the injection electrode to inject a series of injection signals into the fluid. The method can further include receiving signals in response to the series of injection signals through the receiving electrode. The received signals can be representative of an impedance spectrum including impedance values representative of the fluid. The method can further include generating a phase angle fingerprint based on the impedance spectrum to characterize the fluid according to the phase angle fingerprint. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The instant invention provides methods and compositions for modulation of the immune system. Specifically, the present disclosure provides methods and compositions for increasing T cell mediated immune response useful in the treatment of cancer and chronic infection.

Abstract: According to exemplary methods of training a convolutional neural network, input images are received into a computerized device having an image processor. The image processor evaluates the input images using first convolutional layers. The number of first convolutional layers is based on a first size for the input images. Each layer of the first convolutional layers receives layer input signals comprising features of the input images and generates layer output signals that include signals from the input images and ones of the layer output signals from previous layers within the first convolutional layers. Responsive to an input image being a second size larger than the first size, additional convolutional layers are added to the convolutional neural network. The number of additional convolutional layers is based on the second size in relation to the first size. The additional convolutional layers are initialized using weights from the first convolutional layers.

Abstract: A method and logging tool for evaluating leakage within a wellbore. In an embodiment, a percussive hammer assembly is selectively actuated to strike the interior wall of a casing, thereby propagating a sound wave along the casing. An array of acoustic detectors are selectively recorded during short time windows based on sound propagation times from the percussive hammer assembly to each acoustic detector, thereby avoiding the need to continuously sample acoustic detectors and collecting voluminous data. A self-tuning mode may be provided to determine sound propagation times.