Abstract: Provided are compositions and methods for selectively reducing the amount of antibiotic resistant and/or virulent bacteria in a mixed bacteria population, or for reducing any other type of unwanted bacteria in a mixed bacteria population. The compositions and methods involve targeting bacteria that are differentiated from other members of the population by at least one unique clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) targeted DNA sequence. The compositions and methods can be readily adapted to target any bacteria or any bacteria plasmid, or both.

Abstract: The method for shaping a carrier sheet of high hardness, in particular a gres sheet, comprises the steps of providing a solid carrier sheet of high hardness having a thickness of at least 6 mm; covering (S100) a front surface of the carrier sheet with a removable vibration-absorbing protective layer; providing (S110) the surface of the protective layer remote from the carrier sheet with a glass sheet; on the back surface of the carrier sheet opposite the front surface thereof, forming a plurality of cavities according to a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A first seat comprising a leg support for a user of a separate second seat, the leg support mounted relative to the first seat and adjustably moveable between a stowed position in which the leg support is received against a rear side of the first seat and any one of a plurality of deployed positions including at least a calf-and-foot-support position, and a foot-support position, via a continuous recliner.

Abstract: A flow control device including a body having an inlet in a first end thereof, an outlet in a second end thereof, and a passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet, the flow control device further including an injection assembly located at least partially within the passageway such that at least a portion of a fluid flowing through the device passes through the injection assembly, and wherein the flow control device further comprises a flow control portion adapted to control the proportion of the fluid that passes through the injection assembly in response to one or more parameters.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for preparing a plural component foam where the materials supplies are provided from unpressurized storage containers. In use, a continuous stream of high velocity air moves through the static mixing nozzle, and the material streams may be intermittently moved into the gas stream of the nozzle and aerated and mixed with each other and moved with the air to form the plural component foam. The plural component foams are delivered from a static mixing nozzle at pressures of less than 300 psi. Spray guns configured for preparing the plural component foams are also disclosed. Polyurethane foams, polyurethane adhesives, and polyurea foams prepared by the methods are further provided.

Abstract: Organometallic precursors and methods of depositing high purity metal films are discussed. Some embodiments utilize a method comprising exposing a substrate surface to an organometallic precursor comprising one or more of molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), osmium (Os), technetium (Tc), manganese (Mn), rhenium (Re) or ruthenium (Ru), and an iodine-containing reactant comprising a species having a formula RIx, where R is one or more of a C1-C10 alkyl, C3-C10 cycloalkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, or C2-C10 alkynyl group, I is an iodine group and x is in a range of 1 to 4 to form a carbon-less iodine-containing metal film. Some embodiments advantageously provide methods of forming metal films having low carbon content (e.g., having greater than or equal to 95% metal species on an atomic basis), without using an oxidizing agent or a reductant.

Abstract: Method(s) and system(s) for the direct production of lithium and other metals from a brine solution containing salts of various metal cations at room temperature via a combined sorbent extraction and electrochemical extraction/plating process. This process uses a skeleton structure material that can reversibly insert/extract a desired metal cation to absorb the desired metal ions from a brine solution. The metal impregnated skeleton structure material is then transferred to an electrochemical cell where the metal ions are extracted from the structure and plated in the form of metal onto an electronically conductive substrate. This process is a combination of methods to take metal ions directly from a brine solution to produce an end-product of metal and is a significant improvement over current industrial processes that will reduce the energy required for metal production.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards curable film-forming compositions comprising metal particles; an alkaline earth metal compound comprising an alkaline earth metal oxide, an alkaline earth metal carbonate, an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal sulfate, an alkaline earth metal monocarboxylate, an alkaline earth metal phosphate, or combinations thereof; and an organic film-forming binder. Also disclosed are methods of making curable film-forming compositions, methods of coating substrates, and coated substrates resulting therefrom.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to improvements in water-borne (meth)acrylic coating compositions, and resulting coatings made using said compositions by the introduction of pre-cross-linked silicone rubber microparticles to enhance water resistance and water vapor permeance of (meth)acrylic binders while improving color retention properties when compared with silicone water-borne coatings. Additionally, when compared to commercially available water-borne silicone coatings, the technology shows improved shelf-life and better film formation leading to improved dirt pickup resistance and color retention.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed provide compositions which may include from 10 weight percent (wt. %) to 60 wt. % of a polyvinyl butyral resin and from 40 wt. % to 90 wt. % of an organic solvent. The compositions may have a viscosity from 100 to 100,000 centipoise. Embodiments disclosed herein may also provide methods of joining a textile segment to a textile segment, a textile segment to a resilient floor covering, or a resilient floor covering to a resilient floor covering, and methods for joining the foregoing where each textile segment or resilient floor covering having at least one edge. The method may include applying the composition to a first textile segment or floor covering, contacting a second textile segment or floor covering, and evaporating at least a portion of the organic solvent in the composition. Subsequent to the evaporating, the first floor covering segment is joined to the second floor covering segment.

Abstract: Provided is a power electronic circuit comprising at least one power transistor the gate of which is coupled to a control circuit, and the source of which is coupled to a first contact pad, wherein the control circuit is coupled to a second contact pad, and wherein the first and second contact pads are configured to be decoupled from each other when the power electronic circuit is in a configuration for stress testing the gate of the power transistor, and configured to be coupled to each other when the power transistor and control circuit are encapsulated.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to crosstalk reduction for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices using wavelength locking. An example embodiment includes a lidar device. The lidar device includes a first light emitter configured to emit a first light signal and a second light emitter configured to emit a second light signal. The lidar device also includes a first light guide and a second light guide. In addition, the lidar device includes a first light detector and a second light detector. Further, the lidar device includes a first wavelength-locking mechanism configured to use a portion of the first light signal to maintain a wavelength of the first light signal and a second wavelength-locking mechanism configured to use a portion of the second light signal to maintain a wavelength of the second light signal. The wavelengths of the first light signal and the second light signal are different.

Abstract: An alignment sensor is provided for a laser system that emits a coherent beam. The sensor includes a dispersing prism, a focal plane array detector, a processor, and a transform lens. The dispersing prism receives the beam for deflection and wavelength separation as transmission into a plurality of dispersion beams. The transform lens focuses the plurality of dispersion beams towards the focal plane array to yield data. The focal plane array detector transmits the data. The processor receives the data.

Abstract: A trolley for a garage door opener system, the trolley including a body configured to be connected to an elongated rail of a garage door opener system and be moved longitudinally therealong; a receiving portion of the body configured to receive a trolley connector of an elongated drive member; a flexible actuator extending laterally outward and downward from the body; and a hammer pivotally connected to the body about a longitudinal pivot axis, the hammer connected to the flexible actuator and configured to pivot in response to downward movement of the flexible actuator from an engaged position of the hammer wherein the hammer secures the trolley connector relative to the body to a release position of the hammer wherein the hammer is spaced from the trolley connector and permits the trolley connector to shift relative to the body.

Abstract: A tubing retrievable safety valve assembly and related methods are disclosed herein. The assembly includes a primary flapper, a secondary flapper, a flow tube, and a protective sleeve. The flow tube is shiftable between a downhole position that holds the primary flapper in an open position and an uphole position that allows the primary flapper to move to a closed position. The protective sleeve, when positioned in an uphole position, holds the secondary flapper valve in an open position. The protective sleeve is shiftable to a downhole position to allow the secondary flapper to move to a closed position, for example, upon failure of the primary flapper.

Abstract: Methods of determining the depth of a scene and associated systems are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method can include augmenting depth data of a scene captured with a depth sensor with depth data from one or more images of the scene. For example, the method can include capturing image data of the scene with a plurality of cameras. The method can further include generating a point cloud representative of the scene based on the depth data from the depth sensor and identifying a missing region of the point cloud, such as a region occluded from the view of the depth sensor. The method can then include generating depth data for the missing region based on the image data. Finally, the depth data for the missing region can be merged with the depth data from the depth sensor to generate a merged point cloud representative of the scene.

Abstract: A ML-based system and method for determining traversability with uncertainty object estimation for one or more robot devices to navigate through one or more terrains, is disclosed. The ML-based method comprises: (a) obtaining optimum-fidelity scan data in a form of point cloud from scanner devices; (b) generating an elevation map of the environments by applying an elevation mapping model and free-space detection model on the point cloud; (c) generating a dense point cloud with ground-truth map features from the elevation map of the environments; (d) generating a synthetic point cloud based on the dense point cloud of the environments; (e) predicting traversability features from the synthetic point cloud associated with the environments using a ML model; and (f) determining the traversability with the uncertainty object estimation, which adapts the robot devices to navigate on the terrains, based on the traversability features predicted from the ML model.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the health of a component of a machine includes obtaining non-destructive structural integrity testing data of a component of the machine; utilizing a first machine learning algorithm, which includes a first type of neural network, to extract and quantify one or more features of the component from the non-destructive structural integrity testing data; and utilizing a second machine learning algorithm, which includes a second type of neural network, to perform a health assessment of the component based on the extracted features. The first type of neural network and the second type of neural network are different from each other. The method also includes providing a notification of the health assessment. A computing device is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for color space mapping are disclosed. First image data is received comprising first color information in a first color space, which can be a pixel-based color space. Second image data is generated based on the first image data, comprising converted second color information in a second color space based on the first color information. The second color space can be a pigment-based color space. The second image data is modified in the second color space using at least the converted second color information. Supplemental color data is generated based on the modified second image data. A modified image is generated in the first color space using the modified second image data and the generated supplemental color data, the modified image comprising modified color information in the first color space based at least in part on the supplemental color data. The second image data and the supplemental color data are generated using machine learning.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed including a mobile device configured for initiating a communication session with a transceiver interface of a node that comprises a network interface. The node may be queried via the communication session for a status report associated with an error, and an instruction may be communicated to the node via the communication session instructing the node to perform an operation. Communication may be established with the wireless access point via the wireless network after communication of the instruction. The transceiver interface may be configured to communicate via a second network to address issues in the wide area network.