Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatus for determining a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of at least a portion of a test object. An example provided method includes (i) producing information describing a reference image of the test object portion during low-temperature excitation; (ii) heating the test object portion to a higher temperature; (iii) measuring a change in temperature of the test object portion; (iv) producing information describing an image of thermal change in displacement of the test object portion at the higher temperature; (v) comparing the information describing the image of thermal change in displacement of the test object portion at the higher temperature to the information describing the reference image to produce strain information describing heating-induced changes in strain in the test object portion; and (vi) producing CTE information by correlating the strain information with the change in temperature of the test object portion.

Abstract: Disclosed are a controller and power converter having a main buck converter connected between a first input voltage and ground and having a main output, a bidirectional auxiliary converter connected between a second terminal and ground and having an auxiliary output connected to the main output, an output capacitor, and an auxiliary capacitor connected between the second terminal and the ground for providing a second terminal voltage at the second terminal; the controller comprising: first control circuit configured to operate the main converter at a first frequency; and second control circuit configured to operate the auxiliary converter at a higher frequency; the first control circuit being further configured to operate the main converter in dependence on the second terminal voltage; and the second control circuit being further configured to operate the auxiliary converter to control the voltage at the main output terminal.

Abstract: A sidelink network is disclosed that provides a duplex mode indication as well as a duplex mode switching and coordination for a sidelink network device. The duplex mode indication controls the duplex mode switching by the sidelink network device between a half-duplex mode and a full-duplex mode of communication. The resulting control of the duplex mode switching reduces blocking and reduces power consumption.

Abstract: New isobutyramides.

Abstract: Modular, propelled cable-driven robotic platform systems and methods of operation are disclosed. The system includes a robotic platform suspended by a system of overhead cables, motorized cable reels and pulleys. The robotic platform is configured to be equipped with tool modules for performing respective tasks. Additionally, the tool modules each have a multirotor propulsion system. A master control computer coordinates operation of the motorized cable and propulsion systems as a function of sensor data captured by navigation sensors on-board the platform so as to maneuver the robotic platform inside an industrial plant. The system is configured to maneuver around pipings and avoid obstacles in the plant in order to maximize the effective workspace that the robotic platform can reach to perform operations including inspection or repair.

Abstract: A system and method for a single integrated control solution for ducted and ductless HVAC systems which seamlessly connects the ductless and ducted HVAC units coming from various brands, with no restriction in what brand or HVAC unit the consumers use. The integrated control solution can control all of the units automatically based on settings established or selected by the user, and can be as simple or complex as the user desires.

Abstract: A bidirectional resonant DC/DC converter comprising a full-bridge coupled to an CLLLC resonant tank and a power transformer and rectifier stage, said full-bridge comprising two pairs of power switches S1/S2 and S3/S4, configured such that in a first mode of operation: switches S1 and S4 are driven by the same two pulse pattern with a phase shift ?1, said two pulse pattern comprising a first pulse P1 of width t1 and a second pulse P2 of width t2, P1 and P2 being separated by an off-time t3, and switches S2 and S3 are driven by the same single pulse pattern comprising pulse P4 of width t4 with a phase shift ?2. This converter can be used in battery chargers, in particular, for electrical vehicles.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may perform a first scan procedure for a first of radio frequency bands according to a default scanning order at a first subscription of the UE, store an indication of a subset of radio frequency bands of the first set of radio frequency bands for the first scan procedure, and perform a second scan procedure for a second set of radio frequency bands according to a modified scanning order based on the stored indication of the subset of radio frequency bands. In some cases, the UE may determine a relevance of the stored indication of the subset of radio frequency bands of the first set of radio frequency bands and determine the modified scanning order based on the relevance of the stored indication.

Abstract: A multifunctional drilling enhancement tool includes a shaft having a bore extending along a longitudinal direction (X); a main cutting device rotatably and slidably attached to the shaft; a first housing fixedly attached to a first end of the shaft; a second housing fixedly attached to a second end of the shaft; first and second proximal engagement elements attached to opposite ends of the main cutting device; and first and second distal engagement elements attached to corresponding ends of the first and second housings, so that the first distal engagement element is directly facing the first proximal engagement element, and the second distal engagement element is directly facing the second proximal engagement element.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for preparing (3S,4R)-3-ethyl-4-(3H-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrrolo[2,3-e]pyrazin-8-yl)-N-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)pyrrolidine-1-carboxamide, solid state forms thereof, and corresponding pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment (including treatment of rheumatoid arthritis), kits, methods of synthesis, and products-by-process.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed herein that generally relate to a three-dimensional (3D) hernia plug device and a method of manufacturing thereof. In at least one embodiment, there is disclosed a three-dimensional (3D) hernia plug, comprising: a waist portion extending, along a longitudinal extension axis, between a first waist end and a second waist end; one or more first overhangs coupled to the first waist end; and one or more second overhangs coupled to the second waist end, wherein the hernia plug is configured to translate between a pre-activation state and a post-activation state.

Abstract: A method may include obtaining drilling surface parameter data regarding one or more drilling parameters during a drilling operation for a wellbore. The method may further include obtaining geological data regarding one or more formations within a subsurface of the wellbore. The method may further include obtaining vibration data regarding various drilling operations for various wellbores. The method may further include determining a predicted vibration value of a bottomhole assembly in the drilling operation using a machine-learning model, the drilling surface parameter data, the geological data, the vibration data, and a rate of penetration (ROP) value regarding the bottomhole assembly. The method may further include determining an adjusted ROP value regarding the bottomhole assembly using the predicted vibration value and the ROP value. The method may further include transmitting a command to update the drilling operation based on the adjusted ROP value.

Abstract: A method, power converter and controller are disclosed for controlling a power converter having a main converter connected between a first input voltage and a ground and having a main output at an output terminal, an auxiliary converter connected between a second input voltage and the ground and having an auxiliary output, an output capacitor connected between the main output terminal and a ground, and an auxiliary capacitor connected between the auxiliary output and the main output terminal; and a controller; the method comprising: operating the main converter at a first frequency, operating the auxiliary converter at a second frequency; controlling the main converter to control the voltage at the auxiliary output; and controlling the auxiliary converter to control the voltage at the main output.

Abstract: A method for signal request caching is described. Signal requests are received at a signal processor from a plurality of computing devices. The received signal requests are routed to a signal data store. An ingestion rate of the received signal requests is monitored by the signal processor. When the ingestion rate meets a signal request rate threshold of the signal data store, overflow signal requests of the received signal requests are automatically routed to an intermediate cache instead of the signal data store. The overflow signal requests within the intermediate cache are aggregated into one or more signal packages, each of the one or more signal packages containing a plurality of overflow signal requests. The one or more signal packages are stored at the signal data store.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a display. In an embodiment, the display comprises a backplane, and circuitry on the backplane. In an embodiment, a pad with a first width is over the backplane and electrically coupled to the circuitry. In an embodiment, the pad comprises a conductive material. In an embodiment, the display further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) coupled to the pad, where the LED has a second width that is smaller than the first width.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for reducing proliferation or viability of melanoma cells by contacting the cells with nanoclay. It also involves pharmaceutical composition containing nanoclay for treatment of melanoma.

Abstract: A two-tier in vitro growth apparatus and method for cultivating Oestridae larvae and maggots is provided. The growth apparatus includes a top tier container and a bottom tier container where the top tier container has a growth container residing within the volume of the top tier container. The growth container is constructed of a semipermeable material and facilitates cultivating Oestridae larvae and maggots within an interior space of the growth container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing a query in a relational database management system (RDBMS) when a predicate on a data column in the query has a correlation to a partitioning attribute of a partitioning column in data retrieved from a cloud-based store, wherein the optimizing uses the correlation between the data column in the query to the partitioning column in the data retrieved from the cloud-based store for data elimination when processing the query. The correlation is defined in a formula or lookup data structure that maps or range-maps from the data column to the partitioning column.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In some systems, a source user equipment (UE) and a relay UE may participate in a decode and forward relaying procedure to provide greater uplink coverage to a base station. As part of the decode and forward relaying procedure, the source UE may transmit source data to the base station and the relay UE may overhear the source data transmission, decode the source data transmission from the source UE, and forward the source data to the base station. In some cases, the base station may unsuccessfully receive the source data from the source UE and the relay UE, and may transmit a groupcast downlink control information (DCI) message to indicate a resource assignment that the source UE and the relay UE may use for retransmitting the source data or for transmitting new source data, or both.

Abstract: A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.