Abstract: A soft tissue repair system is provided for covering or filling openings in the annulus of an intervertebral disc. The soft tissue repair system uses a single plug or a combination of a first plug and a second plug. The second plug is a flowable plug such as an adhesive material or a material that hardens to a flexible plug material. Each plug is configured to close the opening in the annulus and can be positioned within the opening, over the opening at the exterior surface or over the opening at the interior surface. The plug can also be combined with a clamping mechanism that engages the annulus to secure the plug in the opening.

Abstract: A leadless biostimulator including an attachment feature to facilitate precise manipulation during delivery or retrieval is described. The attachment feature can be monolithically formed from a rigid material, and includes a base, a button, and a stem interconnecting the base to the button. The stem is a single post having a transverse profile extending around a central axis. The transverse profile can be annular and can surround the central axis. The leadless biostimulator includes a battery assembly having a cell can that includes an end boss. A tether recess in the end boss is axially aligned with a face port in the button to receive tethers of a delivery or retrieval system through an inner lumen of the stem. The attachment feature can be mounted on and welded to the cell can at a thickened transition region around the end boss. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Techniques for decimating portions of a map of an environment are discussed herein. The environment can be represented by a three-dimensional (3D) map including a plurality of polygons and semantic information associated with the polygons. In some cases, decimation operations may be based on semantic information associated with the environment. Differing decimation operations and/or levels may be applied to polygons of different semantic classifications or differing contribution levels. Boundaries between regions having different semantic information can be preserved. Meshes can be decimated using different decimation operators or decimation levels and an accuracy of localizing can be compared using the various decimated meshes. An optimal mesh can be selected and sent to vehicles for localizing the vehicles in the environment.

Abstract: Composites of silicon and various porous scaffold materials, such as carbon material comprising micro-, meso- and/or macropores, and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. The compositions find utility in various applications, including electrical energy storage electrodes and devices comprising the same.

Abstract: A system and method for electronic signature validation is provided. Embodiments may include analyzing at least one government identification document, wherein analyzing includes authenticating the at least one government identification document. Embodiments may further include extracting personally identifiable information pertaining to a user from the at least one government identification document and displaying a digital copy of a document to be signed to the user. Embodiments may also include capturing an electronic signature of the document by the user and receiving personally identifiable information, wherein the personally identifiable information pertains to the user and enables the user to be uniquely identified. Embodiments may further transmitting a document signing transaction session.

Abstract: A door striker assembly includes a base plate, a reinforcement plate and a striker wire. The base plate has a first surface and a second surface, with a first opening, and a second opening both extending from the first surface to the second surface. The first surface has an offset portion with the first opening being open to the offset portion. The reinforcement plate is dimensioned to fit within the offset portion of the first surface and has a third opening aligned with the first opening. The striker wire has a first end, a second end and a latch engaging portion located between the first end and the second end. The first end extends through the first opening and the third opening and is non-movably connected to at least one of the reinforcement plate and the base plate. The second end extends through the second opening and is non-movably connected to the base plate.

Abstract: The application describes producing polynucleotide variants of the AtHB 17 clade members and introducing the mutant variants into plants to improve plant traits. The mutant polynucleotides encode polypeptides that comprise mutations in the EAR motifs.

Abstract: Provided herein are novel polypeptides comprising fibronectin type III tenth (10Fn3) domains which specifically bind to Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1), as well as imaging agents based on the same for diagnostics.

Abstract: A recommendation system uses artificial intelligence to identify, based on negative sentiment cues from users, item attributes, such as keywords, that users may find offensive or undesirable. The negative sentiment cues may be explicit (e.g., a user selects an option not to view a particular recommendation again), implicit (e.g., a user does not interact with recommendations relating to an attribute), or both. The system may use a computer model generated based on these identified attributes to filter or modify recommendations to a user or group of users. For instance, if a particular keyword is identified as highly offensive to a group of users, items associated with the keyword may be filtered from item recommendations presented to the group of users. If an attribute is identified as moderately offensive to a user, items associated with the attribute may be down-weighted in item recommendations presented to the user.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are dual ovenable, high-hermecticity sealable films for packaging uses, such as form-fill-and-seal packages (e.g., bags). The films disclosed herein can have hermetic seal characteristics and hot tack strength at elevated temperatures for cooking and/or reheating operations. The films disclosed herein can be made comprising a heat stable base layer (e.g., a cast, monoaxially oriented, or biaxially oriented polypropylene, polyester, or polyamide film); a heat sealable layer; and/or a lap sealable layer.

Abstract: In some embodiments of a prosthetic or orthotic ankle/foot, a prediction is made of what the walking speed will be during an upcoming step. When the predicted walking speed is slow, the characteristics of the apparatus are then modified so that less net-work that is performed during that step (as compared to when the predicted walking speed is fast). This may be implemented using one sensor from which the walking speed can be predicted, and a second sensor from which ankle torque can be determined. A controller receives inputs from those sensors, and controls a motor's torque so that the torque for slow walking speeds is lower than the torque for fast walking speeds. This reduces the work performed by the actuator over a gait cycle and the peak actuator power delivered during the gait cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus for pre-processing logs to separate outer jacket fibers, comprising a plurality of spaced apart rollers through which a log can pass, each roller having at least one outwardly extending concentric projection, the projection being suitable to separate fibers. A pressure mechanism determines the diameter of the log so that the rollers can provide the appropriate amount of pressure to and engagement of the projections with the log. A feeding mechanism moves the log along a flow path past the rollers.

Abstract: A device having an implantable body associated with at least two filaments or sutures and configured for use in soft tissue reconstructions is provided. One exemplary embodiment includes an implantable body, an adjustable filament loop for holding ligament grafts that is coupled to the body, and a shuttle suture removably coupled to the implantable body and configured for shuttling the body through at least a portion of a bone tunnel. The loop can be defined by a self-locking knot, and one or more loop-adjusting limbs can extend from the knot, with a portion of the limb(s) also extending into a hollow portion of the shuttle suture. In some embodiments having two adjustable limbs, an intermediate portion of each limb can be the portions disposed in respective hollow portions of the shuttle suture. Other configurations of devices and systems, as well as methods for performing ACL repairs, are also provided.

Abstract: A method for associating medical devices is provided. The method can include providing a plurality of medical devices and each of the medical devices can include an accelerometer configured to measure spatial accelerations of the medical device. Each of at least two of the medical devices can measure with its accelerometer an acceleration pattern with respect to time. The method can include comparing for correspondence, according to defined correspondence criteria, the measured acceleration patterns, and associating all of the medical devices that measured acceleration patterns that satisfy the defined correspondence criteria. The method can also include modifying a parameter of each member of a set of devices that are associated.

Abstract: A gaming system, device and method are disclosed herein. The system, in an embodiment, involves a plurality of dice that are visibly different from each other. The dice are configured to be rolled on a surface. The system includes a data storage device comprising a plurality of computer-readable instructions that are executable to cause an image generator to generate an animation. The animation includes an interaction between a plurality of characters or anthropomorphic elements. The interaction results in a winning one of the characters or elements and a losing one of the characters or elements.

Abstract: A method for coating a substrate comprises producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases. The plasma ball has a diameter. The plasma ball is disposed at a first distance from the substrate and the substrate is maintained at a first temperature. The plasma ball is maintained at the first distance from the substrate, and a diamond coating is deposited on the substrate. The diamond coating has a thickness. Furthermore, the diamond coating has an optical transparency of greater than about 80%. The diamond coating can include nanocrystalline diamond. The microwave plasma source can have a frequency of about 915 MHz.

Abstract: Content deployment systems and methods are provided for integrating and deploying selected content items as part of a specific release. A content publishing engine includes a processor that can execute a release management API that is configured to manage and store a manifest record that specifies release items by API name that are allowed to be part of the specific release. The processor is configured to execute a bulk API that is configured to receive content package objects from a plurality of content sources. For example, the first content source can directly invoke the bulk API to send first content items to the content publishing engine. A filter module can extract selected first content items that are specified in the manifest record for inclusion in the specific release, and add the selected first content items into a release object so that they are included as part of the specific release.

Abstract: A water shield member includes a cup-shaped concaved portion that has an opening, a hinge portion and a flange portion. The hinge portion extends from the concaved portion and extends around the opening of the concave portion, the hinge portion having a first thickness. The flange portion extends around the hinge portion and the concaved portion. The flange portion is spaced apart from the concaved portion and defines a first plane. The flange portion has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The concaved portion, the hinge portion and the flange portion are all made of a common material.