Abstract: Methods of attaching a wire to a dentition. The methods may include placing a shell on the dentition, where first cavity of the shell includes an attachment material reservoir for receiving an attachment material, and second cavity of the shell includes a wire attachment member having a slot for receiving the wire. The methods may also include placing the wire through the attachment material reservoir and through the slot of the wire attachment member to hold the wire in position with respect to a tooth within the first cavity. The methods may further include placing the attachment material within the attachment material reservoir to bond the attachment material and the wire to the tooth. Once the shell and the wire attachment member are removed from the dentition, the wire remains attached to the tooth via the attachment material.

Abstract: A sanitizing system for preventing the spread of harmful germs on food or beverage containers by utilizing a quick and compact UV sanitizing system. The doors of the pass-through chamber allow the customer to insert an un-sanitized container on the entry (“dirty”) side of the system, and the retail employee to remove the sanitized container from the exit (“clean”) side of the system without having to touch any other surface (doors, knobs, handles, etc.) than the container itself. The system utilizes movable UV light sources to minimize the time required for effective sanitizing.

Abstract: A collapsible and expandable prosthetic mitral valve stent is provided with improved recapture into a distal lumen of a delivery sheath. Various embodiments comprise a valve support within the interior of a stent frame and defining a flow channel therethrough, wherein the top or upstream of the valve support comprises a row, or a plurality, of stent cells that are bent radially inward at least partially over the flow channel. Some embodiments may comprise a recapture assist mechanism, such as an open paddle, attached to one or more of the inwardly bent stent cells and adapted to receive and/or engage a wire to aid in positioning, expansion, recapture and/or implanting the device in a patient's heart chamber.

Abstract: A bristle ring diffuser for diffusing UV light is described herein. In one example, the radiation diffuser cone comprises a base and a plurality of bristles. The base has an interface which is coupleable to an object having an ultraviolet (UV) light source. The base also has an aperture which aligns with the UV light source when the interface is coupled to the UV light source. The plurality of bristles is arranged about the aperture and extend from the base. The plurality of bristles is opaque to UV light and is angled away from a central axis of the aperture.

Abstract: A port tracer including a housing, a light guiding tunnel, and a light guide cover. The housing has a first side and a second side opposite to each other and a third side connected to the first side and the second side. A first opening and a second opening are located on the first side and the second side respectively. The light guiding tunnel is disposed inside the housing. The light guiding tunnel has a first light entrance-exit and a second entrance-exit that face the first side and the second side respectively. The light guide cover is detachably connected to the first opening. The light guide cover covers the first light entrance-exit. The third side has a third opening. A part of the light guide cover is located inside the housing and opposite to the third opening.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring of biometric and contextual variables to assist in screening for, quantification of, and prediction of smoking behavior, and for assisting in smoking cessation are described.

Abstract: Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

Abstract: A composite solid state electrolyte comprises a polymer electrolyte material, a ceramic ion conductor, and a functionalized coupling agent selected to be compatible with the ceramic ion conductor and the bulk polymer compound. The polymer electrolyte material comprises a bulk polymer compound and a lithium salt. The functionalized coupling agent has a backbone that is structurally similar to the bulk polymer compound.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for lifting a payload wherein a first mechanical-rotor is driven by an internal combustion engine. A portion of the mechanical work developed by the internal combustion engine is used to generate electrical power, which is either stored in a battery or used to power an electric motor that drives a second rotor. Thrust developed by the mechanical and electrical rotors is directed downward to provide lift for the payload.

Abstract: Chromogenic conjugates for color-based detection of targets are described. The conjugates comprise a chromogenic moiety such as a rhodamine, rhodol or fluorescein. The chromogenic moiety is linked to a peroxidase substrate. The chromogenic conjugates can be used in immunohistochemical analysis and in situ hybridization. The conjugates can be used to detect 1, 2, 3 or more targets in a sample by color.

Abstract: A transmitter for an inground operation includes an antenna and a sensor section for generating sensor data. An antenna driver selectively drives the antenna to emit a locating signal such that the locating signal carries the sensor data. A processor controls the antenna driver to transmit the locating signal during a normal mode and to enter a sleep state that disables at least the sensor section and the antenna driver such that the locating signal is not transmitted responsive to detecting that the transmitter is inactive. The processor can enter a snooze mode from the normal mode by disabling the antenna driver so that the locating signal is not transmitted, without disabling the sensor section, and the snooze mode requires less power than the normal mode but more power than the sleep state.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to data storage device (DSD) hardware and, more specifically, to systems and methods for encrypting data stored on a DSD. A DSD comprises a non-volatile storage medium to store multiple file system data objects using block addressing. A device controller is integrated with the DSD and comprises hardware circuitry configured to encrypt data to be stored on the storage medium. The controller receives a request for an encrypted file system data object from a host computer system, identifies one of the ranges of blocks where the requested encrypted file system data object is stored on the storage medium, and sends the file system data object stored in the identified range of blocks to the host computer system in encrypted form as stored on the storage medium.

Abstract: Polymer blends, methods of making, and methods of using the polymer blends are described. A polymer blend can include a polyethylene (PE) polymer and a controlled rheology polypropylene (CRPP) polymer having a PE polymer to CRPP polymer (PE:CRPP) weight ratio of greater than 1:1.

Abstract: A touch sensitive structure, comprising: two electrode layers for forming a touch area; and a touch button outside of the touch area. The touch button comprises two button electrodes and two corresponding wires in these two electrode layers, respectively; and a conductive layer being arranged in between a finger on top of the touch sensitive structure and one of the two wires.

Abstract: A building system with modular interlocking panels preferably includes at least one wall section, at least one header, at least one wall sill, a plurality of cripples, and a plurality of support strips. Each wall section preferably includes a bottom horizontal C-channel, a plurality of bottom C-channel flanges, a plurality of vertical C-channels, a top horizontal C-channel, a plurality of top C-channel flanges, an outer panel, an inner panel, a first angled end panel connector, and a second angled end panel connector or an end panel connector. The header, wall sill and cripples include the bottom horizontal C-channel, the C-channel flanges, the plurality of vertical C-channels, the top horizontal C-channel, the outer panel, the inner panel and end panel connectors. The plurality of support strips preferably include a plurality of outer support strips and a plurality of inner support strips.

Abstract: An apparatus is for generating an emulated radar reflection signal of a target moving at a relative velocity. The apparatus includes a radar detector, an emulation transmitter, and a processor. The radar detector is configured to detect radar chirps emitted by a device under test (DUT), where the chirps are emitted at random time intervals. The emulation transmitter is configured to generate emulated radar reflection signals of the target being emulated. The processor is configured to generate control signals at intervals corresponding to the random time intervals at which the radar chirps are emitted by the DUT, where each control signal controls the emulation transmitter to generate a radar reflection signal. A relative phase of the control signals is adjusted according to a duration of each of the random time intervals between successive chirps and a magnitude and sign of the relative velocity of the target.

Abstract: A trim assembly for a regulator can include a cage and a plug assembly. The cage can include a peripheral wall defining an opening and a plurality of cage apertures formed in the peripheral wall. The plug assembly can include a plug and a sealing element and can be configured to be moveably received within the opening so that the sealing element contacts an inner surface of the cage to vary a flow area through the plurality of cage apertures depending on the position of the plug.

Abstract: A scanning lidar system includes a first lens having a first lens center and characterized by a first optical axis and a first surface of best focus, a second lens having a second lens center and characterized by a second optical axis, a platform separated from the first lens and the second lens along the first optical axis, and an array of laser sources mounted on the platform. Each laser source of the array of laser sources has an emission surface lying substantially at the first surface of best focus of the first lens and positioned at a respective laser position. The scanning lidar system further includes an array of photodetectors mounted on the platform. Each photodetector of the array of photodetectors is positioned at a respective photodetector position that is optically conjugate with a respective laser position of a corresponding laser source.

Abstract: A fluid-driven power generation unit, may include two sets of airfoils disposed on opposite sides of the power generation unit with their leading edges facing a windward end of the power generation unit; a body element having a curved front face and a back disposed, wherein at least a portion of the elongate body element is disposed between the first and second set of airfoils; and a power generation unit disposed in alignment with the body element, the power generation unit including at least a housing, and a turbine and an electrical generation unit actuated by the turbine disposed within the housing. As a fluid flows across the airfoils, the lifting force of the airfoils causes a reduced pressure within the power generation unit, drawing air past the turbine, through the body element and out the back of the body element, thereby extracting power from this secondary fluid flow stream.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device performs operations comprising: identifying one or more mandatory scan wordlines of the memory device and one or more remaining wordlines of the memory device; performing a plurality of scan iterations with respect to a plurality of pages of the memory device, such that performing each scan iteration comprises: identifying, among the remaining wordlines, one or more scheduled scan wordlines of the memory device, scanning a subset of pages of the memory device that are addressable by the mandatory scan wordlines and the scheduled scan wordlines; wherein a combination of a first plurality of pages addressable by the scheduled scan wordlines selected by the plurality of scan iterations and a second plurality of pages addressable by the mandatory wordlines comprises the plurality of pages of the memory device.