Abstract: A method for fabrication of a chip for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), including: providing a substrate; texturing a surface of the substrate to form a plurality of pillars randomly on the surface until a desired average pillar height, average pillar width and/or pillar density is/are reached; depositing a metal onto the surface of the textured substrate; and thermally annealing the metal such that the metal forms a layer encasing the pillars.

Abstract: A blender tub for hydraulic fracturing operations and associated components are provided. A spinning proppant distributor located above the blender tub liquid level interrupts and redirects falling granular proppant material (e.g. sand) into the tub. A fluid intake channel wraps around at least part of the blender tub outside wall and introduces liquid (e.g. water) into the blender tub via a plurality of channels. The liquid is introduced with a force and angle which imparts a vortex within the blender tub. The above aspects facilitate blending of material within the tub.

Abstract: A blender tub for hydraulic fracturing operations and associated components are provided. A spinning proppant distributor located above the blender tub liquid level interrupts and redirects falling granular proppant material (e.g. sand) into the tub. A fluid intake channel wraps around at least part of the blender tub outside wall and introduces liquid (e.g. water) into the blender tub via a plurality of channels. The liquid is introduced with a force and angle which imparts a vortex within the blender tub. The above aspects facilitate blending of material within the tub.

Abstract: Techniques are described for monitoring the health of services in a computing environment such as a data center. More particularly, the present disclosure describes techniques for monitoring the health and availability of capabilities in a computing environment such as a data center by enabling alarms to be associated with the capabilities. A capability refers to a set of resources in a data center. By providing the ability to associate an alarm with a capability, the health or availability of the associated capability can be monitored or ascertained by tracking the state of the alarm associated with the capability. For example, if the alarm associated with a particular capability is triggered, it may indicate that the particular capability and the one or more resources corresponding to the particular capability are not in a healthy state. Accordingly, by monitoring alarms associated with capabilities, the health of the associated capabilities can be ascertained.

Abstract: In examples, a clutch assembly includes a first clutch member disposed near a first end of a first shaft. The first clutch member defines a first surface. The first shaft includes a starter motor coupled to a second end of the first shaft. The clutch assembly includes a second clutch member disposed near a first end of a second shaft. The second clutch member defines a second surface opposing the first surface, and the second shaft includes an accessory gearbox of a gas turbine engine coupled to a second end of the second shaft. The surfaces of the first and second clutch member engage such that rotational motion is transferred between the first clutch member and the second clutch member. The first clutch member and the second clutch member are configured to passively disengage from each other and actively reengage with each other.

Abstract: A gravity-induced automatic animal drink dispenser apparatus with no moving parts that promotes increased sanitation and minimizes the amount of work required to maintain a supply of liquids to the animals. The animal drink dispenser apparatus comprises a housing defining an interior volume adapted to store a supply of liquids, a bottom tray releasably attachable to a bottom of the housing defining a trough, at least one passageway, defined by the bottom tray, fluidly communicating the interior volume of the housing with the trough by force of gravity, and a vent apparatus adapted to equalize a pressure in a volume of air above the liquids in the housing, which is reduced when said liquids are dispensed to the trough, with the ambient air.

Abstract: A balloon assembly includes a balloon having a body, a port having only a single inlet for passage of gas into the body of the balloon, and a valve assembly including an upper valve body and a separate lower valve body cooperating to define an interior. A valve member is disposed in the interior which moves from a first position to a second position in response to the passage of air through the valve assembly from the single inlet of the port to the balloon. In the first position, the valve member is against the lower valve body, disabling the passage of air through the valve assembly from the balloon to the port. In the second position, the valve member is away from the lower valve body, enabling the passage of air through the valve assembly from the single inlet to the balloon.

Abstract: Techniques for transferring data to a secure computing region that is isolated from any public networks is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more artifacts for the secure computing region are packaged. As part of the packaging, one or more data packets and metadata for the one or more artifacts can be generated. The metadata indicates corresponding destination components for the one or more artifacts within the secure computing region. The data packet(s) are received and transmitted by a first data diode endpoint device. The first data diode endpoint device is configured to transmit data to the secure computing region via a second data diode endpoint device, the second data diode endpoint device being configured to restrict data from being transmitted to a destination outside of the secure computing region. The transmission of the one or more data packets may be monitored by the system.

Abstract: One variation of a system for an electric motor includes a set of coil assemblies defining: an inner radial facet, an outer radial facet, a first axial facet, and a second axial facet opposite the first axial facet. Additionally, each coil assembly in the set of coil assemblies includes a receiving member arranged at the outer radial facet of the coil assembly. Furthermore, the system includes a rotor comprising a set of magnetic elements: encompassing the inner radial facet, the outer radial facet, the first axial facet, and the second axial facet of the set of coil assemblies; and defining a radial magnetic tunnel. The system also includes a housing: engaging the receiving member of each coil assembly, in the set of coil assemblies to couple the housing to the set of coil assemblies; and includes a shaft coupled to the set of magnetic elements.

Abstract: Provided are modular prime editing systems, comprising: i) a fusion protein comprising a Cas9 nickase protein linked to a nucleotide polymerase (NT) protein, ii) a prime editor template RNA (petRNA) comprising a primer binding site (PBS), a nucleotide polymerase template (NPT), and at least one MS2 hairpin, and iii) a single guide RNA (sgRNA).

Abstract: An example system includes a first gas-turbine engine (GTE) of a plurality of GTEs that are configured to propel an aircraft, the first GTE comprising: a first air-turbine starter (ATS) of a plurality of ATSs, the first ATS configured to rotate a spool of the first GTE; and a first electric starter of a plurality of electric starters, the first electric starter configured to rotate the spool of the first GTE; a second GTE of the plurality of GTEs, the second gas-turbine engine comprising: a second ATS of the plurality of ATSs, the second ATS configured to rotate a spool of the GTE; and a second electric starter of the plurality of electric starters, the second electric starter configured to rotate the spool of the GTE; and one or more controllers configured to control the plurality of GTEs.

Abstract: A controller selectively generates output for display indicative of a recommendation against use of a power outlet in a vehicle with devices external to the vehicle having a power rating greater than a predefined power rating threshold based on a difference between a current state of charge of a battery of the vehicle and a required state of charge for the battery.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control stowable steering wheels are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a steering column assembly including a sensor, a first portion, and a second portion moveable relative to the first portion, machine readable instructions, and programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to move the first portion relative to the second portion, determine based on an output of the sensor that the first portion has encountered an obstruction, and after determining the first portion has encountered the obstruction, stop a movement the first portion.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for migrating services from a virtual bootstrap environment. A distributed computing system can generate a virtual cloud network in a data center of a host region. A virtual bootstrap environment may be implemented in the virtual cloud network. The virtual bootstrap environment can include a plurality of services. The distributed computing system can also deploy an instance of one of the plurality of services to a target region data center. When the instance has been deployed, an indication that the deployment was successful can be received by the distributed computing system. In response, the distributed computing system may identify additional resources associated with the deployed instance of the service and update another service in the virtual bootstrap environment with that resource.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to Neisseria meningitidis (Nme) 2 Cas9 (Nme2Cas9) and Nme2SmuCas9 variants comprising one or more amino acid substitutions with increased genome editing activities (e.g., improve nuclease and base editing efficiencies).

Abstract: The present invention is related to the field of gene editing. In particular, the gene editing is directed toward single nucleotide base editing. For example, such single nucleotide base editing results in a conversion of a mutated base pair to a wild type base pair. The high accuracy and precision of the presently disclosed single nucleotide base gene editor is accomplished by a fusion protein including an NmeCas9 nuclease and an inlaid nucleotide deaminase protein domain. The Nme2Cas9 protospacer interacting domain may be replaced with an SmuCas9 protospacer interacting domain.

Abstract: Techniques for transferring data to a secure computing region that is isolated from any public networks is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more artifacts for the secure computing region are packaged. As part of the packaging, one or more data packets and metadata for the one or more artifacts can be generated. The metadata indicates corresponding destination components for the one or more artifacts within the secure computing region. The data packet(s) are received and transmitted by a first data diode endpoint device. The first data diode endpoint device is configured to transmit data to the secure computing region via a second data diode endpoint device, the second data diode endpoint device being configured to restrict data from being transmitted to a destination outside of the secure computing region. The transmission of the one or more data packets may be monitored by the system.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and compositions for gene editing. In particular. the disclosure relates to compositions and methods of making and using modified nucleic acid donor templates for highly efficient and precise gene editing, such as gen editing in immune cells.