Abstract: A blast attenuator for blast overpressure has features that allow for blast attenuation and ease of projectile loading from the muzzle of the weapon system. This combination of physical ease of use and blast reduction allows the system to achieve high levels of performance without making significant concessions to operator safety.

Abstract: Openings in a muzzle brake provide recoil inhibition and impulse noise attenuation by redirecting the propellant gases to the external environment. A turning vane aggressively turns and redirects the propellant gases in a rearward direction to counter the recoil of the weapon system. An angled baffle provides a physical barrier to redirect propellant gases rearward to provide additional force to counteract the recoil force. Attenuation slits mitigate blast overpressure by producing a fluid barrier of high velocity propellant gases directed radially away from the muzzle brake. The fluid barrier from the attenuation slits interacts with the redirected propellant gas from the turning vane and the angled baffle and redirects the counter recoil gases away from the crew.

Abstract: Provided is a rearwardly-pivoting door having a pivoting arc in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle. The door may be pivotally coupled with the vehicle by a hinge assembly at a rear portion of the door and a front portion is slidably engaged in a channel receiver when the door is in a closed position. The hinge assembly and channel receiver resist lateral movement of the door to maintain an occupant within a seating area of the vehicle. One or more securing devices may be utilized to maintain the door in an opened or closed position. The securing device may be mechanical and/or magnetic.

Abstract: Methods and systems for deriving metrics for service and/or computer (e.g., server) utilization and stability from instrumentation of applications showing Poisson characteristics are disclosed. Such methods and systems may be further applied to automatically act upon the conditions indicated by the derived metrics, for example, to provision additional virtual server resource(s) in a cloud-based system.

Abstract: Provided is a rearwardly-pivoting door having a pivoting arc in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle. The door may be pivotally coupled with the vehicle by a hinge assembly at a rear portion of the door and a front portion is slidably engaged in a channel receiver when the door is in a closed position. The hinge assembly and channel receiver resist lateral movement of the door to maintain an occupant within a seating area of the vehicle. One or more securing devices may be utilized to maintain the door in an opened or closed position. The securing device may be mechanical and/or magnetic.

Abstract: A manual inflation component (13) for a personal flotation device (16) is provided in which the manual inflation device provides the antenna (17) for a warning device, as well as providing for inflation of the personal flotation device by the wearer. The component itself, personal flotation devices including it, warning systems including it and methods of manufacture are also provided. The manual inflation component (13) is well positioned on the personal flotation device to serve the role of transmission location.

Abstract: A breech mechanism sliding contact assembly that allows for ignition, gun ground, and ammunition data link circuits to be broken while the breechblock is open. The sliding contact assembly further allows these circuits to be reconnected when the breechblock is closed. The breech mechanism sliding contact assembly comprises two separate connectors: a block slide connector that assembles to the breechblock and a ring slide connector that assembles to the breech ring. The two connectors operate in compact, pre-existing headspaces between the breechblock and the breech ring.

Abstract: Methods and systems for deriving metrics for service and/or computer (e.g., server) utilization and stability from instrumentation of applications showing Poisson characteristics are disclosed. Such methods and systems may be further applied to automatically act upon the conditions indicated by the derived metrics, for example, to provision additional virtual server resource(s) in a cloud-based system.

Abstract: A variable aperture mechanism (VAM) comprises a cam assembly, a single motor capable of rotating the cam assembly, and a pair of aperture members which are coupled to the cam assembly and arranged to affect the size of an aperture, with the size of the aperture varying with the position of the cam assembly. The VAM would typically be used with a sensor having an associated optical field-of-view (FOV), with the aperture members moving in and out of the FOV with the rotation of the cam assembly such that the aperture can be set to multiple f-numbers. A thermal link between the aperture members and a cryogenically-cooled surface ensures that the aperture members are also cryogenically-cooled.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for fabricating improved ceramic composite turbine shrouds with abradable seals are disclosed. A high temperature seal with an abradable coating is provided. The seal comprises a three-dimensional, high-density woven composite base structure recessed below the abradable coating, with loops incorporated in and protruding from the base structure. The abradable coating is integrally attached to the base structure via the loops. Additionally, a graded density seal is provided with a three-dimensional, low-density woven composite structure. The low-density structure is abradable. A three-dimensional, high-density woven composite base structure is recessed below the low-density structure, with the low-density structure integrally attached to the base structure via weaving.

Abstract: Solid support assays using non-standard bases are described. A capture oligonucleotide comprising a molecular recognition sequence is attached to a solid support and hybridized with a target oligonucleotide. In some instances, the molecular recognition sequence includes one or more non-standard bases and hybridizes to a complementary tagging sequence of the target oligonucleotide. In other instances, incorporation of a non-standard base (e.g., via PCR or ligation) is used in the assay.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for fabricating improved ceramic composite turbine shrouds with abradable seals are disclosed. A high temperature seal with an abradable coating is provided. The seal comprises a three-dimensional, high-density woven composite base structure recessed below the abradable coating, with loops incorporated in and protruding from the base structure. The abradable coating is integrally attached to the base structure via the loops. Additionally, a graded density seal is provided with a three-dimensional, low-density woven composite structure. The low-density structure is abradable. A three-dimensional, high-density woven composite base structure is recessed below the low-density structure, with the low-density structure integrally attached to the base structure via weaving.

Abstract: An exemplary morphable ceramic composite structure includes a flexible ceramic composite skin and a truss structure attached to the skin. The truss structure can morph shape of the skin from a first shape to a second shape that is different than the first shape. The flexible ceramic composite skin may include a single-layer of three-dimensional woven fabric fibers and a ceramic matrix composite. The truss structure may include at least one actuatable element or an actuator may move a portion of the truss structure from a first position to a second position. A cooling component may be disposed in thermal communication with the skin. The cooling component may include thermal insulation or a cooling system that circulates cooling fluid in thermal communication with the skin. The morphable ceramic composite structure may be incorporated into any of an air inlet, combustor, exhaust nozzle, or control surfaces of a hypersonic aircraft.

Abstract: A self-transpiring hot skin for a hypersonic or reusable space vehicle that can provide protection to the vehicle during short periods of abnormally high heat flux (either planned in the flight profile or an off-nominal event). The hot skin includes a ceramic composite structure having an internal cavity that is coupled either to the insulating layer or directly to the support structure of the hypersonic vehicle. The internal cavity includes a material system that vaporizes, sublimes or decomposes into a gas when the temperature exceeds the upper temperature capability of the composite material. The gas transpires through the outer layer of the composite material to provide cooling to the outer layer below the upper temperature capability. Cooling may occur both by conduction of heat from the composite material to the transpiring gas and by the interaction of the transpiring gas with the boundary layer of hypersonic flow over the outer surface, leading to a reduction of the heat flux entering the surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, kits and compositions for high fidelity nucleic acid amplification reactions of target nucleic acids such that specific amplification products that incorporate non-standard bases are produced. The amplification reactions can either be linear or exponential. In some embodiments, the fidelity of the amplification reaction is high enough such that a majority of the amplification products maintain non-standard bases at specific sites designated by the user after a specified number of amplification cycles. In some embodiments, the ratio of non-standard nucleoside triphosphates is greater than the amount of standard nucleoside triphosphates initially present in the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Solid support assays using non-standard bases are described. A capture oligonucleotide comprising a molecular recognition sequence is attached to a solid support and hybridized with a target. In some instances, the molecular recognition sequence includes one or more non-standard bases and hybridizes to a complementary tagging sequence of the target oligonucleotide. In other instances, incorporation of a non-standard base (e.g., via PCR or ligation) is used in the assay.

Abstract: Assays using non-natural bases are described. In one embodiment, the method involves contacting a sample suspected of containing the target nucleic acid with a polymerase and first and second primers; amplifying the target nucleic acid, if present in the sample, by PCR using the first and second primers to generate an amplification product having a double-stranded region and a single-stranded region that comprises the non-natural base; contacting the sample with a reporter comprising a label and a non-natural base that is complementary to the non-natural base of the single-stranded region; annealing at least a portion of the reporter to the single-stranded region of the amplification product; and correlating a signal of the label with the presence of the target nucleic acid in the sample. The invention also provides corresponding kits for use in detecting target nucleic acids in a sample.

Abstract: An electrical contact includes a crimping section for securing a wire and a flute section for receiving a pin. The flute section includes fixed engagement members and a resilient cantilever member that engages the pin within the flute section.

Abstract: Assays using non-natural bases are described. In one embodiment, the method involves contacting a sample suspected of containing the target nucleic acid with a polymerase and first and second primers; amplifying the target nucleic acid, if present in the sample, by PCR using the first and second primers to generate an amplification product having a double-stranded region and a single-stranded region that comprises the non-natural base; contacting the sample with a reporter comprising a label and a non-natural base that is complementary to the non-natural base of the single-stranded region; annealing at least a portion of the reporter to the single-stranded region of the amplification product; and correlating a signal of the label with the presence of the target nucleic acid in the sample. The invention also provides corresponding kits for use in detecting target nucleic acids in a sample.