Abstract: A gas-flow nozzle for laser welding includes a central opening to transmit a laser beam from a top of the central opening to a workpiece at a bottom of the central opening. The central opening is bounded by two inward-facing opposite sides of the gas-flow nozzle. The gas-flow nozzle further includes (a) one or more lower gas-flow channels to direct a lower gas flow to the workpiece from both of the two sides bounding the central opening, (b) one or more upper gas-flow channels to direct an upper gas flow to the workpiece from both of the two sides bounding the central opening, and (c) one or more middle gas-flow channels to exhaust gas from both of the two sides of the central opening. The gas-flow nozzle is useful for laser welding prismatic battery cases. In this scenario, the upper gas flow helps prevent burning of battery-terminal insulator material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Plasmid Addiction System for the stabilization of expression plasmids encoding proteins of interest. The invention uses a succinate cycle optimization to ensure the expression of plasmid(s) of interest. By ensuring that plasmids of interest contain genes necessary in the succinate cycle, the system ensures that the passage of the plasmid to daughters and therefore improves the efficiency of production and expression of genes and/or products of interest.

Abstract: A steerable overtube assembly for a robotic surgical system can include a steerable shaft having one or more instrument channel and a control hub configured to mount to the steerable shaft. The assembly can also include a manual actuator extending from the control hub and configured to allow the steerable shaft to be manually steered by a user's hand, and a robotic actuator housed by and/or extending from the control hub configured to connect to a robotic driver to allow robotic steering of the steerable shaft.

Abstract: A method of operating a storage system may include allocating a first partition of a tier of storage resources to a first client, wherein the tier operates at least partially as a storage cache, allocating a second partition of the tier of the storage resources to a second client, monitoring a workload of the first client, monitoring a workload of the second client, and reallocating the first partition of the tier of the storage resources to the first client based on the monitored workload of the first client and the monitored workload of the second client. The method may further include reallocating the second partition of the tier of the storage resources to the second client based on the monitored workload of the first client and the monitored workload of the second client.

Abstract: A steerable overtube assembly for a robotic surgical system can include a steerable shaft having one or more instrument channel and a control hub configured to mount to the steerable shaft. The assembly can also include a manual actuator extending from the control hub and configured to allow the steerable shaft to be manually steered by a user's hand, and a robotic actuator housed by and/or extending from the control hub configured to connect to a robotic driver to allow robotic steering of the steerable shaft.

Abstract: An assembly for holding a videoscope on a robotic surgical device is disclosed, which includes a holder body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, a cradle provided on the proximal end portion of the holder body for supporting a videoscope, a first locking mechanism operatively associated with the cradle for temporarily securing the videoscope in the cradle, a connector provided on the distal end portion of the holder body for attaching the holder body to the robotic surgical device, and a second locking mechanism operatively associated with the connector for temporarily securing the holder body to the robotic surgical device.

Abstract: A crime and emergency management system helps people find safety during emergencies. It uses GPS to locate people in trouble and then finds the nearest shelter. The system then calculates the safest route to that shelter and sends directions to the person's phone. This helps people quickly and efficiently evacuate to safety during a crisis.

Abstract: The invention relates to integrated DNA and RNA library preparations and methods of making and uses thereof. The methods do not require physical separation of DNA and RNA. The methods output two separate libraries from DNA and RNA, respectively, which helps flexible manipulation on downstream sequencing platform.

Abstract: A valve assembly is disclosed for sealing an instrument channel of a robotic surgical device, which includes a valve body having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough from a proximal end portion of the valve body to a distal end portion of the valve body, and defining an axial bore including an interior valve chamber formed in the proximal end portion of the valve body, a valve seal situated within the interior valve chamber of the valve body for sealing the instrument channel of the robotic surgical device, and an engagement mechanism operatively associated with the distal end portion of the valve body for detachably connecting the valve assembly to the instrument channel of the robotic surgical device.

Abstract: A tension compensation system for a robotically controlled medical device can include an instrument controller configured to operatively connect to a robotically controlled medical device to provide tension to one or more actuation cables of the robotically controlled medical device. The system can include an instrument control module configured to control the instrument controller to provide a compensation tension to at least one actuation cable of the one or more actuation cables to compensate for elongation of the at least one actuation cable of the one or more actuation cables based on actuation data associated with the at least one actuation cable of the one or more actuation cables.

Abstract: An end effector for a minimally invasive medical device can include a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft, and a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use.

Abstract: Provided herein are radiopharmaceutical compositions and uses thereof. The radiopharmaceutical compositions can comprise one or more stabilizing agents, an aqueous vehicle, and a conjugate that comprises a targeting ligand and a radionuclide bound to a metal chelator. The targeting ligand can be a small molecule compound or a peptide such as a monocyclic peptide. The targeting ligand can be configured to bind with a tumor target. The stabilizing agent can comprise a radiolysis stabilizer, a free metal chelator, and/or a pH stabilizer. Further provided herein are methods of preparing the radiopharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating cancer by administering the described radiopharmaceutical compositions.

Abstract: A force transmission system for a robotically controlled medical device includes a pushing actuator adapted and configured to be pushed distally by a robotic instrument controller, a pivot, and a reverse linkage rotatable about the pivot. The reverse linkage includes a first portion extending between the pivot and the pushing actuator, and operably engaged with the pushing actuator, a second portion extending from the pivot away from the first portion, adapted to engage a control wire of the robotically controlled medical device and pull the control wire proximally in response to distal movement of the pushing actuator, and a distal surface of the second portion having an arcuate surface adapted maintain an axial position of the control wire throughout a range of motion thereof.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for gathering electronic signatures to be applied to collaboration system content objects (e.g., contracts, letters, insurance claims, riders, etc.). A collaboration system monitors changes made to the collaboration system content objects during electronic signature processing. A module of the content management system is configured to associate one or more instances of e-signing metadata to one or more of the stored content objects of the content management system. The e-signing metadata indicates whether or not a particular portion of the one or more of the stored content objects has been e-signed by a designated e-signatory. A collaborator who is not one of the designated e-signatories makes a change to one or more of the stored content objects (e.g., contracts, letters, insurance claims, riders, etc.). The change is remediated on-the-fly and the e-signing process continues without having to restart the e-signing process from the beginning.

Abstract: The invention relates to integrated DNA and RNA library preparations and methods of making and uses thereof, wherein the DNA molecules are labelled with a tag identifying the molecule as being a DNA molecule and the RNA molecules are labelled with a tag identifying the molecule as being a RNA molecule. The methods do not require physical separation of DNA and RNA. The methods output two separate libraries from DNA and RNA, respectively, which helps flexible manipulation on downstream sequencing platforms. The application also claims the DNA library and the cDNA library produced by the method and the DNA tag and the RNA tag used in the method.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for detecting a RAS pathway mutations in a subject. The methods include obtaining a biological sample from the subject, isolating nucleic acids from the biological sample, and analyzing the expression level of extracellular RNAs in the nucleic acids, wherein a differential expression level of the extracellular RNAs compared to a control sample indicates that the subject has a RAS pathway mutation.

Abstract: An end effector for a minimally invasive medical device can include a base configured to attach to a distal end of a shaft, and a disposable distal portion configured to removably attach to the base to be disposed of after use.

Abstract: A force transmission system for a robotically controlled medical device can include a pushing actuator configured to be pushed by a robotic instrument controller and a wire. The wire can include a first end attached to an end of the pushing actuator to be pushed distally by the pushing actuator, and a second end attached to a distal location of the medical device. The system can include a reverse motion device that can be interfaced with the wire between the first end and the second end. The reverse motion device can be configured to cause a proximal pulling action on the second end in response to pushing of the first end distally by the pushing actuator or other actuation by the pushing actuator. The reverse motion device can be configured to maintain a point of contact with the wire in the same spatial location to prevent wire motion due to actuation.

Abstract: The present application discloses a shoe heating apparatus including a base with a heating unit, and a thermally insulative body, wherein the bottom of the base is shaped as bottom of a foot such that it fits with a shoe sole.