Abstract: A system for use with a fuel-burning water heater and a ventilation conduit is disclosed. The fuel-burning water heater is configured to burn fuel and generate gaseous exhaust and condensate from the burning of the fuel. The ventilation conduit is configured to remove the gaseous exhaust from the fuel-burning water heater. The system includes an input port configured to receive the gaseous exhaust and the condensate, a neutralizing material holder configured to house a condensate neutralizing material therein and to receive the condensate from the input port, a gas output port configured to provide the gaseous exhaust to the ventilation conduit, and a liquid output port configured to output condensate from the neutralizing material holder. The neutralizing material holder is disposed between the input port and the liquid output port.

Abstract: Method of generating animation overlays starts with a processor causing a communication interface for a communication session to be displayed at client devices. The processor receives from a first client device an animation sending request and causes an animation sending interface to be displayed in the communication interface of the first client device. The animation sending interface comprises animation overlay icons. Each of the animation overlay icons comprise a first avatar associated with the first user. The processor receives from the first client device a selection of a first animation overlay icon and causes the first animation overlay corresponding to the first animation overlay icon to be displayed as an overlay on the communication interface of each of the plurality of client devices. The first animation overlay is an animation that includes the first avatar. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Molybdenum-containing films are deposited on semiconductor substrates at relatively low temperatures of between about 100 and about 500° C., such as between about 200 and about 450° C. For example, molybdenum metal can be deposited at this temperature on a substrate having exposed metal and exposed dielectric in a substantially non-selective manner. In one implementation, a substrate having a recessed feature is provided, where the recessed feature has an exposed dielectric on the sidewalls and an exposed metal on the bottom. The substrate is exposed to a molybdenum-containing precursor, a reducing agent, and a silicon-containing reagent, to thereby reduce the molybdenum-containing precursor and form a molybdenum-containing layer that includes metallic molybdenum. The use of the silicon-containing reactant leads to a reduction in on-metal/on-dielectric selectivity of molybdenum deposition.

Abstract: Toilet tissue having a dynamic surface comprising a surface material that overlays a textured web material such that the toilet tissue exhibits one or more novel properties and method for making same are provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for processing an alcoholic beverage in a way that makes the alcohol taste better while taking a minimal amount of time to do so. The method accomplishes this by briefly subjecting the liquid in a container or a tank to a pulse-width modulated EM field having certain characteristics, such as a predetermined average voltage, a duty cycle, fundamental frequency and harmonics thereof and for a determined or certain amount of a time, often in the milliseconds to seconds range. Changing these parameters have a demonstrated greater effect on some compounds in alcoholic beverages than others.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an associative polymer, a powder, a process for forming a paper sheet, and a process for making a powder. One or more associative polymers and one or more optional surfactants may be networked to form a wet gel and a powder may be formed from the wet gel. The associative polymer may have a weight average molecular weight of from about 10 kDa to about 2,000 kDa. A method may involve adding the powder to a cellulose fiber slurry, draining the cellulose fiber slurry to form a fiber pad, and drying the fiber pad to form a paper sheet.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for protecting a network from network discovery by an unknown or unauthenticated device. A network element, according to one implementation, is arranged in a communication network and includes an interface device configured to enable communication with an unknown network device. The network element also includes a memory system configured to store first and second sets of network information. The first set of network information includes fake information about the network and is configured to deceive the unknown network device before a procedure is performed for analyzing the authentication of the unknown network device. The second set of network information includes real information about the network. In some cases, the first set of network information may be provided to the unknown network device via the interface device before performing the procedure for analyzing the authentication of the unknown network device.

Abstract: Fire-resistant overlays, panels, and processes for making and using same. The fire-resistant overlay can include a fiber mat that can include a plurality of fibers secured to one another. The fire-resistant overlay can include a coating disposed on at least one of a first and a second side thereof. The coating can include a blowing agent and an at least partially cured intumescent resin. When a side of the fiber mat that includes the coating disposed thereon is subjected to a modified ASTM D6413-99 test, where the test is modified by using a run time of 5 minutes instead of 12 seconds, a char can be produced. The char can have a density of about 0.05 g/cm3 to about 0.2 g/cm3, a length of about 8.8 cm to about 10.2, a height of about 1.25 cm to about 2.5 cm, and an expansion ratio of about 10 to about 17.5.

Abstract: The invention provides an associative polymer, a powder, and a process for making a powder including, networking one or more associative polymers and one or more optional surfactants to form a wet gel, and forming a powder from the wet gel, wherein the associative polymer(s) have a weight average molecular weight of from about 10 kDa to about 2,000 kDa.

Abstract: Systems and methods include receiving a request for a path in a network including a plurality of network elements interconnected to one another via links, wherein the request includes values for a plurality of criteria, wherein the plurality of criteria include one or more of trust, privacy, and secrecy; utilizing a multi-criteria path selection process to determine the path through the plurality of network elements over the links based on the plurality of criteria and the associated values; and providing a display of the determined path in a network map. The trust quantifies trustworthiness of each link in the network and the values of trust are any of a rating and a selection for inclusion or exclusion, the privacy quantifies a number of the links the network path is routed over for network obfuscation, and the secrecy quantifies a level of encryption utilized on the links.

Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating network attacks include, responsive to detection of malicious traffic in a network, causing creation of an isolated network slice in the network where the isolated network slice is a set of connection resources that are allocated to a flow of traffic and that spans a plurality of network devices in the network; and causing rerouting of the malicious traffic from a source node of the malicious traffic to a deceptive network resource along the isolated network slice.

Abstract: A solution including an associative polymer, a cyclodextrin polymer, and a solvent is provided. The associative polymer is a powder in the absence of the solvent. Additionally, a method of making down an associative polymer powder to form a solution is provided. The method includes blending a mixture of the powder, a cyclodextrin polymer, and a solvent to yield the solution, wherein the powder includes particles having been dry-cut to a median particle size of from about 200 microns to about 10,000 microns. Additionally, a powder product is provided. The powder product includes from about 80 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % associative polymer; and from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of a cyclodextrin polymer.

Abstract: A method is provided for generating aldehyde-functionalized polymers such as GPAM, wherein progress of the aldehyde-functionalized polymer formation is monitored by measuring viscosity using an online viscometer. A method is also provided for enhancing paper strength, said method comprising generating an aldehyde-functionalized polymer, such as GPAM, according to the present disclosure, and combining said aldehyde-functionalized polymer with a fiber slurry or applying it to a paper sheet.

Abstract: A seat adjuster may include a support member and a fluid bladder. The support member may have a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end may be connectable to a seat frame such that the support member is disposed at least partially below a suspension portion of said seat frame. The fluid bladder may be disposed at least partially between the support member and said suspension portion. The fluid bladder may be configured to support said suspension portion. A change or adjustment of a volume of the fluid bladder may change or adjust the support provided to said suspension portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a network slice are provided. A method, according to one implementation, include extracting information from network traffic received from one or more User Plane Function (UPF) components of a network slice; examining the extracted information using Machine Learning (ML), and, in response to detecting of one or more malicious threats based on the examined extracted information by the ML, causing one or more actions to isolate the network traffic to protect at least the network slice from the one or more malicious threats.

Abstract: Systems for managing static assets of web applications. A method embodiment includes identifying a web application that comprises a code base and a set of static assets, then separating the code base of the web application from the set of static assets that are referenced by the web application. The code base is deployed as application services whereas the static assets are deployed as static asset containers. Specifically, the set of static assets referenced by the application services are deployed in containers that are instantiated separately from where the application services are instantiated. Requests to access the application services and requests to access the static assets are tracked by taking performance measurements of the systems that process the accesses. Dynamic scaling of static asset containers is done independently from dynamic scaling of the application services. The dynamic scaling is based on combinations of measured usage and/or any system performance characteristics.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for protecting a network from network discovery by an unknown or unauthenticated device. A network element, according to one implementation, is arranged in a communication network and includes an interface device configured to enable communication with an unknown network device. The network element also includes a memory system configured to store first and second sets of network information. The first set of network information includes fake information about the network and is configured to deceive the unknown network device before a procedure is performed for analyzing the authentication of the unknown network device. The second set of network information includes real information about the network. In some cases, the first set of network information may be provided to the unknown network device via the interface device before performing the procedure for analyzing the authentication of the unknown network device.

Abstract: Systems and methods include receiving a request for a path in a network including a plurality of network elements interconnected to one another via links, wherein the request includes values for a plurality of criteria, wherein the plurality of criteria include one or more of trust, privacy, and secrecy; utilizing a multi-criteria path selection process to determine the path through the plurality of network elements over the links based on the plurality of criteria and the associated values; and providing a display of the determined path in a network map. The trust quantifies trustworthiness of each link in the network and the values of trust are any of a rating and a selection for inclusion or exclusion, the privacy quantifies a number of the links the network path is routed over for network obfuscation, and the secrecy quantifies a level of encryption utilized on the links.

Abstract: Systems and methods of service enhancement in a Software Defined Networking (SDN) network include performing an evaluation of one or more services in the SDN network for service enhancements; performing a scoring of the service enhancements of the one or more services; and causing implementation of at least one of the service enhancements in the SDN network. The evaluation can be based on temporarily implementing the service enhancements and measuring a benefit thereof. The evaluation can also be based on estimating the service enhancements based on historical measurements from the SDN network.

Abstract: A seat adjuster may include a support member and a fluid bladder. The support member may have a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end may be connectable to a seat frame such that the support member is disposed at least partially below a suspension portion of said seat frame. The fluid bladder may be disposed at least partially between the support member and said suspension portion. The fluid bladder may be configured to support said suspension portion. A change or adjustment of a volume of the fluid bladder may change or adjust the support provided to said suspension portion.