Abstract: Various embodiments of a flexible bulk container are disclosed having a number of innovative features. In one embodiment, the flexible bulk container includes an enclosure defining an interior volume in which a support sling is located. The support sling helps prevent the shape of the container from deforming as it is filled with bulk material. In another embodiment, the flexible bulk container includes an opening in the top through which it can be filled with material. A cord is coupled to the top around the opening and can operate as a drawstring to close the opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method o f quantifying the amount of Mock Virus Particles (MVP) removed from a solution as a result of processing that solution through a purification technique. This method involves the steps of adding MVP to a solution, processing the solution through a purification technique, quantifying the amount of MVP removed from the solution. The present invention also relates to a kit that can be used in conjunction with the method. This kit will comprise at least one stock solution of MVP and at least one quantification solution.

Abstract: A tissue fixation system including a delivery tube and an elongated fastener with a loop at a proximal end and a distal end, A proximal end of an elongated curved needle is attached to the delivery tube. A distal end of the needle is configured to penetrate tissue. The needle includes an open channel sized to receive the elongated fastener with the loop located near the proximal end of the elongated curved needle and the distal end of the elongated fastener located near the distal end of the elongated curved needle. A capture needle is slidably positioned in the delivery tube to slide through the loop in the proximal end of the elongated fastener. The capture needle is configured to grasp the distal end of the elongated fastener and pull the distal end of the elongated fastener through the loop to cinch the elongated fastener.

Abstract: A system providing self-service access to locked merchandise comprising: (a) providing a fixture that restricts access to the locked merchandise, wherein the fixture can automatically lock or unlock, allowing or restricting access to the locked merchandise; (b) providing a means of uniquely identifying an individual attempting to access the merchandise; (c) measuring a set of behaviors of the individual during any time the fixture is an open mode; (d) assessing whether the set of behaviors of the individual are suspicious or not relative to a set of suspicious event thresholds; (e) storing the individual and their set of behaviors as accessible records in at least one database; and (f) providing an algorithm which determines future access privileges of the individual to the enclosure based on a set of variables.

Abstract: An insertion shaft for an electrically actuated scope includes at least two wires. Each wire has a proximal end anchored to a respective proximal anchoring point and a distal end anchored to a respective distal anchoring point. The wires are disposed around a central axis and extend along the insertion shaft. Each of the wires comprises two-way memory material configured to contract when heated to or above a first predetermined temperature and return to a predetermined original length thereof upon cooling to or below a second predetermined temperature below the first predetermined temperature. The length of each wire is larger than a length along the insertion shaft between the proximal anchoring point and the distal anchoring point to which the wire is anchored, such that each of the wires is incorporated in the insertion shaft with a predetermined slack.

Abstract: A continuously variable nozzle system includes a nozzle body (5) with an inlet and an outlet. A conduit is defined between the inlet and the outlet by a series connection of components which includes a flow meter (10). The flow meter (10) has a chamber (83) with internal helical splines (82) that are configured to interact with a spray liquid passing through the chamber (83) and create a cyclone-like effect. A sphere (52) is located inside the chamber (83) for free movement along a circular path (106). A sensor is located outside of the chamber (83) and configured to detect motion of the sphere (52) and generate an output (9) signal in response to detected motion.

Abstract: A system is provided for suppressing transient currents in electrical circuits to prevent damage to switching devices such as relays and/or solid-state switching devices. An associated automatic transfer switch (ATS) system (300) includes a primary power cord terminating in cord cap (302) for receiving power from a primary power source and a secondary power cord terminating in cord cap (304) for receiving power from a secondary power source. The system (300) further includes an output (306) for connecting to an output load such as a piece of electronic equipment. The output (306) may be a female outlet such that the system (300) can be directly connected to a male power port of a piece of equipment. The system (300) further includes a micro-ATS module (308) operative to sense a power outage or degradation of signal quality for the power signal of at least the primary power source and, in response, to switch the power supply from the primary source to the secondary power source.

Abstract: A decoder includes circuitry configured to receive a bitstream identify, in the bitstream, a current frame, wherein the current frame includes a plurality of regions, detect, in the bitstream, an indication that a first region is encoded according to a lossless encoding protocol and another region is encoded according to a lossy encoding protocol, and decode the current frame, wherein decoding the current frame further comprises decoding the first region using a lossless decoding protocol corresponding to the lossless encoding protocol.

Abstract: A jewelry box is disclosed. The jewelry box may include a base and a plurality of vertical elongated fingers pivotably attached to the base. The plurality of vertical elongated fingers may be placed adjacent to each other and at a first predetermined distance from each other. Further, the plurality of vertical elongated fingers may be configured to pivot around vertical elongated fingers distal ends to move the plurality of vertical elongated fingers between an open position and a closed position. The plurality of vertical elongated fingers is in the open position when the plurality of vertical elongated fingers is perpendicular to a base plane and in the closed position when the plurality of vertical elongated fingers is parallel to the base plane. The jewelry box may further include a plurality of horizontal tension members, which may form an inward binding force and may horizontally couple vertical elongated fingers.

Abstract: A video encoder is configured to encode a bit stream including a coded picture having a first contiguous region and a second contiguous region, the first contiguous region containing common motion, the second contiguous region containing local motion. The encoded bitstream is provided to a decoder which is configured to decode the first contiguous region of the coded picture to reconstruct the common motion by utilizing a motion model common to all of the coding blocks in the first region. A merge candidate list is selectively created and a merge candidate is selected to decode the first region based on the common motion model. The second contiguous region is decoded using individual motion information for each coding block in the second contiguous region.

Abstract: A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein an operational characteristic of the tag is susceptible to influence by a material comprising an object to which it is attached, comprising: a substrate comprising an attachment region and a flap region, the attachment region for coupling the RFID tag to a surface of an object; and, an RFID inlay formed on the substrate, comprising a loop antenna and a dipole antenna, the loop antenna and the dipole antenna each having first and second portions within the attachment and flap regions, respectively, wherein a relative portion of the loop antenna within the attachment region has a positive influence on the operational characteristic when attached to an object and a relative portion of the dipole antenna within the attachment region has a negative influence on the operational characteristic, whereby the net influence on the operational characteristic by the object can be minimized.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices to enhance fracturing fluid delivery to subsurface formations to enhance hydrocarbon production from the subsurface formations may include providing a manifold coupling having a manifold coupling passage with a manifold coupling axis. The manifold coupling may include a first inlet passage positioned to provide fluid flow between a first fracturing fluid output and the manifold coupling passage, and a second inlet passage positioned opposite the first inlet passage to provide fluid flow between a second fracturing fluid output and the manifold coupling passage. The first inlet passage may have a first inlet passage cross-section at least partially defining a first inlet axis extending transverse relative to the manifold coupling axis. The second inlet passage may have a second inlet passage cross-section at least partially defining a second inlet axis extending transverse relative to the manifold coupling axis and not being co-linear with the first inlet axis.

Abstract: A wellbore system includes a first plug and a second plug that latch independently within an elongated housing; at least one plug having an elongated channel with a ball therein for performing operation of a pressure test; and optionally including a ball seat for receiving a dissolving ball for contingency and supplementary casing tests.

Abstract: An article for use with an associated vertically oriented, generally planar surface may include a generally horizontal top member supported by first and second planar supporting members, which selectively receive the associated vertically oriented, generally planar associated surface therebetween.

Abstract: A scintillation crystal can include a rare earth silicate, an activator, and a Group 2 co-dopant. In an embodiment, the Group 2 co-dopant concentration may not exceed 200 ppm atomic in the crystal or 0.25 at % in the melt before the crystal is formed. The ratio of the Group 2 concentration/activator atomic concentration can be in a range of 0.4 to 2.5. In another embodiment, the scintillation crystal may have a decay time no greater than 40 ns, and in another embodiment, have the same or higher light output than another crystal having the same composition except without the Group 2 co-dopant. In a further embodiment, a boule can be grown to a diameter of at least 75 mm and have no spiral or very low spiral and no cracks. The scintillation crystal can be used in a radiation detection apparatus and be coupled to a photosensor.

Abstract: In some aspects, a first plug-in module that is installed on a server receives an instruction to install a particular database on a first target server that is near (e.g., less than a threshold number of hops from or having less than a threshold latency communicating with) the server. The first plug-in module creates a first persistent authentication session between the server and the first target server and initiates a first installation of a first database on the first target server using the first persistent authentication session. Concurrently with the first installation, a second plug-in module that is installed on a second server initiates a second installation of a second database on a second target server using a second persistent authentication session. The second target server is near the second server.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting component which may comprise a light emitting diode (LED) or laser diode (LD) for generating at least one of blue light or ultraviolet light. A fluoride phosphor matrix may be included, which may be consolidated into a phosphor ceramic structure including at least one of a transparent fluoride ceramic structure or a translucent fluoride ceramic structure, and positioned adjacent to the LED or LD. The phosphor ceramic structure generates at least one of red or orange light when irradiated by the light emitted from the LED or LD. The phosphor ceramic structure exhibits reduced thermal quenching relative to a fluoride particulate structure irradiated by the LED or LD.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and tools for customizing shower panels to accommodate a variety of shapes and sizes of shower bases, where such methods and tools reduce installation steps. One exemplary method includes steps of using tools to trim a back shower panel, a first side shower panel, and a second side shower panel to conform to the contours of the top edges of a shower base. An exemplary assembly of tools used to perform described methods includes a plurality of contour gauge tools and a drain center groove. Each contour gauge tool includes a contoured edge, a slot formed through the contour gauge tool, and indicia formed on a surface of the contour gauge tool. The drain center tool includes a first groove, second groove intersecting the first groove and perpendicular to the first groove, and a tab extending upward of the top surface of the drain center tool.

Abstract: An apparatus for deploying a circular device such as a frac ball into a wellbore, and systems and methods for using the same, is provided. In various embodiments, the apparatus can have a magazine that biases the circular device upward, and then an actuator and slidebar move the circular device from the magazine down a chute and into a wellbore. The apparatus can be operated remotely to reduce the risk of harm to a human operator. Other aspects and features of the apparatus are described herein.