Abstract: A delay device includes a tuning network including first and second tuning components having frequency responses that overlap in an intermediate frequency band to provide a group delay response. A delay modifier is in communication with the tuning network and configured to provide an offset frequency as an input to the tuning network, and to electronically adjust a group delay value associated with the group delay response by varying the offset frequency. The difference between a frequency of an input reference signal and a local oscillator frequency produced by the delay modifier is substantially equal to an intermediate frequency of the tuning network. The tuning network and the delay modifier cooperate to transpose the reference signal at the reference frequency down to the IF band before passing through the first and second delay lines, and back up to the RF band after passing through the first and second delay lines.

Abstract: A ceiling fan assembly or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The ceiling fan assembly can include a housing including a first portion and a second portion, whereby the first portion selectively couples to the second portion. The housing can further include one or more sealing or deflecting components.

Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The blade can include a body having an outer surface with a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface, and a side edge. A curved transition can extend between one of the flat top surface or the flat bottom surface, and the side edge. The curved transition can include an elliptical curvature.

Abstract: A system and computer implemented method for execution of aggregation expressions on a distributed non-relational database system is provided. According to one aspect, an aggregation operation may be provided that permits more complex operations using separate collections. For instance, it may be desirable to create a report from one collection using information grouped according to information stored in another collection. Such a capability may be provided within other conventional database systems, however, in a non-relational database system such as NoSQL, the system is not capable of performing server-side joins, such a capability may not be performed without denormalizing the attributes into each object that references it, or by performing application-level joins which is not efficient and leads to unnecessarily complex code within the application that interfaces with the NoSQL database system.

Abstract: Medical breathing tubes have a tubular body that defines a lumen extending between open terminal ends of the tubular body. An internal form is enclosed within the lumen and supportive of the tubular body. The internal form may be a coated encapsulated internal form where the coating secures the internal form to the tubular body. The internal form may provide for a series of alternative crests and troughs of the tubular body. A patient interface and/or a securement system may be attached to the tubular body.

Abstract: A structure comprising a plurality of walls defining a bladder cavity, the bladder cavity comprises an initial cross section size. A first plurality of wave features provided along at least one of the plurality of walls defining the bladder cavity. In one arrangement, the first plurality of wave features allow the structure to expand from the initial cross section size to a second cross section size after the structure becomes inflated during a composite charge cure, the second cross section size larger than the initial cross sectional size.

Abstract: A ceiling fan assembly comprising a motor, a mount for coupling to a structure and for suspending the motor, and a ceiling fan blade comprising only a blade body for coupling to the motor, wherein the ceiling fan blade is formed from a molded pulp comprising at least one of paper fibers, plant fibers, or wood fibers.

Abstract: A system for charging a plurality of worker devices for use by a plurality of users is disclosed. The system includes one or more charging stations, each charging station including a plurality of storage housings, one or more detection devices, and an identification device, and a controller. The controller is configured to selectively lock and unlock the plurality of worker devices in the plurality of storage housings of the one or more charging stations, electrically charge the plurality of worker devices when locked in the plurality of storage housings of the one or more charging stations, and validate an identity of the plurality of users with the identification device of the one or more charging stations when the plurality of users removes or returns the plurality of worker devices to the plurality of storage housings of the one or more charging stations.

Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis comprises a foot structure having a foot keel leaf spring, a heel leaf spring, and an upper J leaf spring above the keel leaf spring. An ankle bearing block is mounted to the keel leaf spring and a shank shell is mounted to the ankle bearing block. A shank interface mounts to the shank shell. A processor controlled active element extends along an axis between the shank shell and the upper leaf-spring.

Abstract: Methods of operating membrane processes, such as seawater purification processes, are described herein. The methods generally include flowing seawater into a membrane purification process; recovering purified seawater and concentrated seawater from the membrane purification process; sensing operating parameters of the membrane purification process; determining a state of the membrane purification process from the operating parameters using a physical model; using a statistical model to resolve a time dependence of the state of the membrane purification process; using a recursive statistical process to update the statistical model; using the updated statistical model to predict a future state of the membrane purification process; comparing the predicted future state of the membrane purification process to a threshold state; and predicting a remaining time before the membrane purification process reaches the threshold state.

Abstract: A method for operating a combined-cycle electrical power grid by: accepting, from combined cycle power generation participants, combined cycle offers for valid combined cycle configurations, each including identification of power generator type(s) for the configuration and the offers including at least three levels of parameter information pertaining for the valid combined cycle configurations, the three levels including, (a) resource level parameters that describe transition information between the valid combined cycle configurations, (b) configuration level parameters that describe operating parameters for each valid configuration; and (c) component level parameters that describe operating parameters for specific power generator components included in a valid configuration; selecting commitments from the combined cycle offers based upon the resource level parameters, the configuration level parameters and the component level parameters; and controlling dispatch of electricity based upon the commitments.

Abstract: Noise insulation may be provided by an anti-resonant panel that includes a base panel including a base panel core material and two base panel face sheets, where each of the two base panel face sheets is adjacent to an opposite side of the base panel core material. The anti-resonant panel further includes at least one stiffener-member positioned along the base panel in a defined area of the base panel, where the defined area is less than a full area of the base panel. The stiffener-member includes a stiffener-member core having a top surface, a bottom surface in contact with the base panel, a plurality of cells having walls that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface, and a stiffener-member face sheet that is seamlessly integrated with the walls of the plurality of cells along the top surface.

Abstract: Shrouds and shroud segments for gas turbine engines are provided. In one embodiment, a shroud segment for a gas turbine engine having a rotor blade stage and a nozzle stage is provided. The shroud segment comprises a forward end defining an outer wall of the rotor blade stage and an aft end defining an outer wall of the nozzle stage. The aft end defines at least a portion of an opening therethrough for receipt of a nozzle, and the forward end and the aft end form a single, continuous component. In another embodiment, a gas turbine engine is provided, having a shroud with a forward end positioned near a leading edge of a plurality of rotor blades of a rotor blade stage and an aft end positioned near a trailing edge of a plurality of nozzles of a nozzle stage. Methods of assembling a gas turbine engine also are provided.

Abstract: A method for managing documents includes obtaining, from a first computing device, a first signed document, and in response to obtaining the first signed document: identifying a first plurality of validity services associated with the signed document, sending a verification request to the first plurality of validity services, wherein each of the plurality of verification requests specifies the first signed document, obtaining a plurality of verification responses from the first plurality of validity services, and making a determination, based on the plurality of verification responses, that the first signed document is valid.

Abstract: A method for generating motion-corrected medical images includes obtaining, via a processor, k-space data of a region of interest acquired by a magnetic resonance imaging system utilizing a 3D radial pulse sequence with ZTE acquisition including optional magnetization preparation pulses. The method also includes sampling, via the processor, the k-space data to obtain a plurality of interleaved k-space segments. The method further includes reconstructing, via the processor, one or more interleaved k-space segments of the plurality of interleaved k-space segments to generate a respective motion navigator volume. The method even further includes co-registering, via the processor, each respective motion navigator volume to estimate motion and performing motion correction on the one or more interleaved k-space segments and their corresponding k-space trajectories.

Abstract: Provided herein are, inter alia, anti-CD6 antibody-growth factor complexes including an anti-CD6 antibody portion bound to a growth factor protein (e.g., EGF) through a linker, which may be cleavable by a protease (e.g., diabetic microenvironment specific protease). The compositions provided herein are, inter alia, useful for the treatment of autoimmune diseases (e.g., type I diabetes).

Abstract: A firearm safety device purposed to obstruct the chamber of a firearm to block insertion of a cartridge therein, effectively disabling the firearm. In embodiments, the firearm safety device comprises a plug and a key. The plug may be sized for fitting within the chamber of essentially any firearm. The plug may be inserted into and removed from the firearm through the breech end of the chamber, thereby lessening both wear on the plug and potential damage to the firearm resulting from plug insertion or removal. The key interacts with the plug for easy positioning of the plug within the chamber and pulling removal of the plug out from the breech end of the chamber. Unauthorized removal of the plug is difficult without the key. The safety device enables repeated cycling of the action and dry firing of the firearm enabling the firearm to be handled safely for uses such as for retail sale purposes and for firearm use and safety training.