Abstract: A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for nitrogen gas sparging assisted biological treatment of water. In one example, a denitrification system may include a media-packed column or bed through which nitrogen gas is sparged to remove dissolved oxygen from water. In some examples, an external carbon source and electron donor may be added to the media-packed column or bed to facilitate biological removal of the nitrate and/or other contaminants from the water. In this way, by relying on the sparged nitrogen gas to remove the dissolved oxygen, less of the external carbon source and electron donor may be employed as compared to denitrification systems not assisted by nitrogen gas sparging.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying operational abnormalities based on data received from an agricultural implement performing a task in an agricultural field are described herein. In an embodiment, a system receives time-series data captured from an agricultural implement performing an agronomic activity on an agricultural field, the time-series data including, for each of a plurality of timestamps, a location of the agricultural implement. The system identifies a plurality of passes in the time-series data and using the identified plurality of passes, identifies a plurality of location on the agricultural field in which the activity performed by the agricultural implement included a particular operational abnormality. The system generates a map of operational abnormalities for the agricultural field, the map of operational abnormalities including the plurality of locations on the agricultural field in which the activity performed by the agricultural implement included the particular operational abnormality.

Abstract: A parallel processing system includes at least three processors operating in parallel, state monitoring circuitry, and state reload circuitry. The state monitoring circuitry couples to the at least three parallel processors and is configured to monitor runtime states of the at least three parallel processors and identify a first processor of the at least three parallel processors having at least one runtime state error. The state reload circuitry couples to the at least three parallel processors and is configured to select a second processor of the at least three parallel processors for state reload, access a runtime state of the second processor, and load the runtime state of the second processor into the first processor. Monitoring and reload may be performed only on sub-systems of the at least three parallel processors. During reload, clocks and supply voltages of the processors may be altered. The state reload may relate to sub-systems.

Abstract: Linear actuators driven by everted ball screw assemblies are described herein. In some examples, the everted ball screw assembly includes a hollow screw shaft with internal threads, a ball cylinder concentrically positioned therein and having external threads, and a plurality of balls sized to fit in a substantially contiguous series along a working pathway that is defined by the space between the internal and external threads. One or more limiters prevent the ball cylinder from rotating. A motor rotates the hollow screw shaft, thereby driving the balls along the pathway and imparting linear motion to the ball cylinder, which is coupled to a connecting rod for actuating a load. The ball cylinder in some examples includes an internal return path with scoop elements that are sized and shaped to guide the balls into the internal return path and then back onto the working pathway.

Abstract: Provided herein are immunomodulatory proteins comprising variant CD112 and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: A bottle assembly has a bottle and a removable cap. The cap includes a nozzle and a vent arrangement. The vent arrangement can include a vent conduit that extends into an air cavity present at the bottom of the bottle assembly when the bottle assembly is inverted. The vent arrangement allows for pressure equalization within the bottom assembly in response to liquid being dispensed from the bottle assembly to permit high flow rates of the dispensed liquid without squeezing of the bottle.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques include skin diagnostics using optical signatures. A plurality of optical excitation light wavelength bands is scanned on a material sample, wherein the material sample exhibits optical spectral characteristics along the light wavelength spectrum. Excitation response wavelengths emitted by the material sample are captured in response to the plurality of optical excitation light wavelength bands, wherein the capturing is accomplished using an imaging sensor. Output values of a plurality of pixels of an image from the imaging sensor are measured, wherein the image represents excitation response wavelengths captured by the imaging sensor, wherein the measuring detects optical spectral characteristics of the material sample, and wherein the optical spectral characteristics are in response to the plurality of optical excitation light wavelength bands.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques include exudate analysis using optical signatures. Access to a tissue exudate sample is obtained, wherein the tissue exudate sample contains one or more analytes representing a state of the tissue. The one or more analytes are isolated from the exudate sample on a substrate. The exudate is transferred from the substrate to an immunoassay. The immunoassay is illuminated with photons, wherein the illuminating comprises a controlled photon exposure. The controlled photon exposure comprises ambient lighting and/or one or more fluorescence excitation light wavelength bands. Light emanating from the immunoassay is imaged, wherein the imaging captures intensities of light wavelengths across the light wavelength spectrum. The imaging captures reflected light and fluorescent emanating light. A signature for the one or more analytes is generated, based on analysis of the intensities that were imaged. The signature expresses a magnitude for each of the one or more analytes.

Abstract: Officials, Agents and Devices researching, creating lists of Registered Voters, Proxy Voters whom are sent machine readable encoded Documents (Registration, Language choice, Voting Ballots), optional return Containers. Each Document correlated to Receipt(s) via shared unique Random Symbolic Identifier(s), other Security Elements. For voting privacy, Voters exchange Ballots within their Voting Region. Voters complete Document(s), add Personal Security Identifier(s), keep Document Receipt, send Documents to Officials In-Person or by Postal Mail, Delivery Service, Telephone, Fax or Facsimile, Internet, EMail, Interactive Television. Officials receiving Documents provide delivery confirmation. Imaging machines record Documents duplicate images, correlates RSID, stores data. Timely, valid, authentic Documents are machine read via computer software extracting Voter information, selections, Write-In choices, Personal Security Items correlated to Document RSID.

Abstract: Provided herein are variant CD80 polypeptides, immunomodulatory proteins comprising variant CD80 polypeptides, and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: Linear actuators are described herein. In particular embodiments, a linear actuator includes an everted ball screw assembly comprising a hollow screw shaft with internal threads, a ball cylinder concentrically positioned therein and having external threads, and a plurality of bearing balls sized to fit in a substantially contiguous series along a working pathway defined by the space between the internal and external threads. The linear actuator may include a support bearing for rotatably supporting the screw shaft in a housing. The ball cylinder in particular embodiments includes an internal return path along which the balls return to the working pathway. The everted ball screw assembly may include a lash reduction assembly and one or more scoop inserts that are sized and shaped to guide the balls into the internal return path and back onto the working pathway.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a capo, or a fretpad for a capo, for use with a stringed musical instrument. The fretpad is manufactured from a pliable material that mimics the compression of a human finger, and which prevents the instrument from going out of tune prematurely. The fretpad insert is radiused and configured to be insertable into a frame, which may be detachably connected to a capo body.

Abstract: Provided herein are variant CD80 polypeptides, immunomodulatory proteins comprising variant CD80 polypeptides, and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel device that converts some of the power in ocean waves into electrical power or other means of performing useful work. One or more tubes are arranged so that when the device is in position in a body of water, the tubes are oriented vertically with one end positioned proximate to and/or above the surface of the body of water on which the device floats, and with the other end positioned below the surface of that body of water. In some embodiments, through a differential restriction on the flow of air in and out of an upper end of the tube, the average height of the water inside the tube is different from the average height of the water outside the tube. In some embodiments, a hollow void inside a flotation structure of the embodiment is filled with water to contribute significant mass to the embodiment and increase the momentum associated with its vertical oscillations.

Abstract: Provided herein are variant CD80 polypeptides, immunomodulatory proteins comprising variant CD80 polypeptides, and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are variant CD80 polypeptides, immunomodulatory proteins comprising variant CD80 polypeptides, and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are variant CD80 polypeptides, immunomodulatory proteins comprising variant CD80 polypeptides, and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods of automatically detecting styles of properties of DOM elements of an information resource are disclosed. A data processing system including one or more processors can identify an information resource for which to automatically detect styles of properties used to style primary content of the information resource, identify at least one DOM container that contains at least a portion of the primary content, determine, for each of one or more DOM elements included in the DOM container, styles of properties corresponding to a respective DOM element, store, in a memory, the determined styles of properties corresponding to the respective DOM elements included in the DOM container and use the stored styles of properties to modify third-party content to be inserted within the information resource.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biodegradable substrate for supporting growth of seeds or clones. The substrate comprises: about 70% to about 95% hemp fibre and about 5% to about 30% of a biodegradable thermoplastic polymer. The present invention also provides a process for preparing a biodegradable substrate for supporting growth of seeds or clones from a hemp fibre-based mat.