Abstract: A delivery portal, which may be at a loading dock, includes a sensor configured to detect a pallet, platform or stack of goods as it passes through the portal. A computer is programmed to receive information from the sensor and to identify the pallet based upon the information. The computer is further programmed to compare the identified pallet to a database to determine if the identified pallet should be passing through the portal. For example, the computer determines whether the pallet is being loaded onto the wrong truck or onto the right truck but in the wrong sequence. The sensor for detecting the pallet may be an RFID sensor reading an RFID tag on the pallets. The portal may be a loading dock. The database may indicate a sequence for loading a plurality of pallets including the identified pallet onto a truck at the loading dock.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for virtual space insertion is provided. The computer-implemented method includes receiving first and second user inputs from users regarding user information and regarding a virtual space targeted for entry by each of the users, respectively, obtaining spatial and occupancy information of the virtual space, determining insertion point requirements for the entry of each of the users into the virtual space from the first user inputs, generating a self-similar geometric insertion point pattern compatible with the insertion point requirements to a first threshold and with the spatial and occupancy information to a second threshold and mapping an insertion point for the entry of each of the users into the virtual space to the self-similar geometric insertion point pattern.

Abstract: Described here are devices for closing one or more tissues, and handles for controlling these devices. Generally, the devices described here comprise a snare loop assembly, wherein the snare loop assembly comprises a snare and a suture loop, and a handle for controlling the snare loop assembly. In some variations the snare loop assembly may comprise a retention member that may releasably connect the suture loop to the snare. In other variations the devices comprise one or more force-reducing suture locks to help prevent the suture loop from inadvertently disengaging from the snare loop assembly. In still other variations, the excess-suture management features. The handles described here may be configured to remove excess suture from a suture loop, and may also be configured to release the suture loop from the snare loop assembly.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine including: a fan assembly comprising a fan; and a turbomachine drivingly coupled to the fan and including a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order and defining in part a working gas flowpath, the gas turbine engine defining a bypass passage over the turbomachine; the turbomachine further including a heat exchanger and defining an annular cooling passage extending between an inlet and an outlet, the inlet in airflow communication with the working gas flowpath at a location upstream of the compressor section and the outlet in airflow communication with the bypass passage, the heat exchanger in thermal communication with an airflow through the cooling passage.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a waste heat recovery system is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath, the exhaust section including a primary exhaust flowpath and a waste heat recovery flowpath parallel to the primary exhaust flowpath; and the waste heat recovery system includes a heat source exchanger positioned in thermal communication with a first portion of the waste heat recovery flowpath.

Abstract: A lighting element assembly and method of assembling a lighting element, including an optical element having a leg extending away from the optical element, a base, and a retention element configured to retain the leg relative to the base.

Abstract: An example robot includes a first actuator and a second actuator connecting a first portion of a first member of the robot to a second member of the robot. Extension of the first actuator accompanied by retraction of the second actuator causes the first member to roll in a first roll direction. Retraction of the first actuator accompanied by extension of the second actuator causes the first member to roll in a second roll direction. A third actuator connects a second portion of the first member to the second member. Extension of the third actuator accompanied by retraction of both the first and second actuators causes the first member to pitch in a first pitch direction. Retraction of the third actuator accompanied by extension of both the first and second actuators causes the first member to pitch in a second pitch direction.

Abstract: A delivery portal, which may be at a loading dock, includes a sensor configured to detect a pallet, platform or stack of goods as it passes through the portal. A computer is programmed to receive information from the sensor and to identify the pallet based upon the information. The computer is further programmed to compare the identified pallet to a database to determine if the identified pallet should be passing through the portal. For example, the computer determines whether the pallet is being loaded onto the wrong truck or onto the right truck but in the wrong sequence. The sensor for detecting the pallet may be an RFID sensor reading an RFID tag on the pallets. The portal may be a loading dock. The database may indicate a sequence for loading a plurality of pallets including the identified pallet onto a truck at the loading dock.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a unique viral peptide (VP) vaccine for preventing or treating viral diseases. The vaccine is produced synthetically and includes no production steps in biological cells (e.g. E. coli, CHO cells, yeast cells) that would require subsequent endotoxin assays/removal or viral clearance procedures. The hC peptide is synthesized separately from the VP, and following self-assembly of the hC, the VP is covalently coupled to form the VP-hC conjugate which can serve as a vaccine for preventing or treating viral diseases. The hC includes heptad repeats following a specific pattern. Optionally, the VP-hC conjugate further includes one or more T-cell epitopes at the N- and/or C-terminus of the one or more amphipathic alpha-helices. The present disclosure also describes compositions comprising immunogenic compositions including VP-hC conjugate.

Abstract: Hyperlink copyright infringement avoidance is provided. A hyperlink is identified in a post made by a user on a social media website. A review of the hyperlink is performed. An analysis of a post history of the user is performed. The hyperlink is removed from the post to form a sanitized post with a removed hyperlink based on at least one of the review of the hyperlink and the analysis of the post history of the user.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for managing access requests based on user device location includes receiving a user initiated access request from a first device of the user, receiving location data of the first device, requesting attestation of a registered device of the user from a trusted geocoded device, receiving an attestation token for the registered device of the user from the trusted geocoded device, wherein the attestation token includes location data for the registered device, comparing the received location data of the first device to the location data of the registered device, and issuing an authentication status based on the comparison of the received location data of the first device to the determined location data of the second device of the user. A computer program product and computer system corresponding to the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for testing a software application. User interactions with the functional and non-functional aspects of software applications are monitored. User experience profiles are then generated for the monitored users based on the monitored interactions. The best user experiences in connection with interacting with specific functional and non-functional aspects of the software applications are then identified based on the generated user experience profiles. Virtual users having different types of best user experiences in connection with interacting with different functional and non-functional aspects of the software applications are created. The software application is then tested using the virtual users to determine if the functional and non-functional aspects of the software application satisfy the best user experiences associated with the virtual users.

Abstract: An example device may include an optical modulator configured to generate an optical beam encoding network data, an optical power amplifier configured to adjust a transmitted power of the optical beam, and a transmit beam angle mechanism configured to adjust a beam direction of the optical beam and to transmit the optical beam to a remote receiver over a free-space optical link. Example devices may include a controller configured to receive backchannel data from the remote receiver and modify a characteristic of the optical beam based on the backchannel data. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for testing a software application. User interactions with the functional and non-functional aspects of software applications are monitored. User experience profiles are then generated for the monitored users based on the monitored interactions. The best user experiences in connection with interacting with specific functional and non-functional aspects of the software applications are then identified based on the generated user experience profiles. Virtual users having different types of best user experiences in connection with interacting with different functional and non-functional aspects of the software applications are created. The software application is then tested using the virtual users to determine if the functional and non-functional aspects of the software application satisfy the best user experiences associated with the virtual users.

Abstract: A method 10 for processing hydrocarbons for recycling includes the steps of: a) heating solid and/or liquid hydrocarbons in a chamber 16 in the absence of air, to convert at least some of the hydrocarbons into hydrocarbon gas; b) reacting the hydrocarbon gas in a reactor 20 or conduit with a catalyst 22 including a transition metal or transition metal salt, and a carbide, to break the hydrocarbon gas down into hydrocarbon products; and c) collecting the hydrocarbon products or conveying the hydrocarbon products elsewhere for use.

Abstract: The disclosed optical beam expander may include (1) a monolithic structure including (a) a first nonplanar mirror that receives a first collimated optical beam having a first width and reflects the first collimated optical beam to generate a noncollimated optical beam and (b) a second nonplanar mirror that receives a diverging optical beam and reflects the diverging optical beam to generate a second collimated optical beam having a second width greater than the first width, where the first nonplanar mirror and the second nonplanar mirror are fixed in orientation and position relative to each other and (2) a planar mirror that reflects the noncollimated optical beam from the first nonplanar mirror to provide the diverging optical beam to the second nonplanar mirror. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An example device may include an optical configuration configured to transmit a transmitted optical beam and receive a received optical beam, an optical modem, and an optical amplifier. An example optical amplifier may include an optical gain medium and an optical bandpass filter. The transmitted optical beam may have a transmit wavelength selectable from a plurality of transmit wavelength, and may have a different wavelength from the received optical beam. In some examples, the optical configuration may include at least one dichroic element. Various other devices, systems, and methods are described.