Abstract: Systems, mechanisms and processes are provided to allow law-enforcement officials, when encountering the potential use of prepaid payment cards in the furtherance of a crime or in relation to criminal activities, to (1) attempt to check the balances on such prepaid payment cards, including the ability to perform aggregate balance checks on a group of such prepaid cards, (2) attempt to freeze the funds on such prepaid payment cards, and/or (3) attempt to seize the funds on such prepaid payment cards.

Abstract: A test adapter assembly for an interface. The test adapter assembly has a test adapter frame having a first pair of opposing sides, a second pair of opposing sides and an engagement mechanism support member, the second pair of opposing sides being shorter than the first pair of opposing side, the first and second pairs of opposing sides forming a test adapter face; and a collar support member, the collar support member having plate portion mounted to one of the second pair of opposing sides of the test adapter frame and a collar mounting portion extending from the plate portion at an angle of 40-50° relative to the face of the test adapter frame.

Abstract: A heterogeneous catalyst comprising a support and gold, wherein: (i) said support comprises alumina, (ii) said catalyst comprises from 0.1 to 5 wt % of gold, (iii) at least 90 wt % of the gold is in the outer 60% of catalyst volume, and (iv) particles of the catalyst have an average diameter from 200 microns to 30 mm; wherein weight percentages are based on weight of the catalyst.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure is provided, including an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot ship mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.

Abstract: A valve enclosure and side handle faucet system comprising the valve enclosure. The valve enclosure comprises an inlet portion, an outlet portion and a valve cavity. The valve enclosure further comprises a ball valve and is mounted to the side of a spout such that fluid enters the valve cavity perpendicularly from a fluid inlet line and exits the cavity perpendicularly from an outlet such that the distance between the input and output flow to the cavity is minimized.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising a noble metal disposed on a support. The noble metal is present in an amount ranging from 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % relative to the total weight of the catalyst. The support comprises at least 50 wt % silicon carbide relative to the total weight of the support. The silicon carbide has a surface area of at least 5 m2/g. A method for preparing methyl methacrylate from methacrolein and methanol using the catalyst is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to olefin metathesis catalyst compounds, to the preparation of such compounds, compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds, articles of manufacture comprising such compounds, and the use of such compounds in the metathesis of olefins and olefin compounds. The invention has utility in the fields of catalysts, organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and industrial and fine chemicals industry.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for defining a homeostatic window for controlling delivery of electrical stimulation therapy to a patient. In one example, a method includes generating and delivering electrical stimulation therapy to tissue of a patient via electrodes. Further, the method includes adjusting a level of a parameter of the electrical stimulation therapy such that a signal of the patient is not less than a lower bound and not greater than an upper bound. The lower bound is determined to be the magnitude of the signal while receiving electrical stimulation therapy sufficient to reduce one or more symptoms of a disease while the patient was receiving medication for reduction of the one or more symptoms. Further, the upper bound is determined to be the magnitude of the signal while receiving electrical stimulation therapy sufficient to reduce the one or more symptoms when the patient was not receiving the medication.

Abstract: A high strength, low density modular columnar structure. In the preferred embodiment, each module is a prism or cuboid having three or four vertical rectangular sides which meet in the module corners. The module ends perpendicular to the sides are the module faces. At least one face has a brace panel. The brace panels and the face are preferably the same shape, but off-set. A plurality of preferably triangular brace arms extends to the module corners. Each brace panel is preferably provided with a centrally located aperture. The lower face of each module is preferably provided with a lip, while the upper face is configured to receive the lip. A cylindrical column extends vertically through the center of each module, and a plurality of struts extends radially from each column. A stack of modules may be secured with a bolt run through the module apertures, an adhesive, or simply gravity.

Abstract: Tracking tag and method for livestock tracking. The tracking tag includes, in some implementations, a near-field communication (NFC) module, a battery module, and a Bluetooth module. The NFC module is programmed with a unique identifier. The battery module is coupled to the NFC module. The battery module is configured to supply battery energy when active. The battery module is also configured to activate when the NFC module is first read after being programmed with the unique identifier. The Bluetooth module is coupled to the battery module. The Bluetooth module is configured to receive the battery energy from the battery module. The Bluetooth module is also configured to transmit the unique identifier using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmission protocol.

Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a feed gas comprising carbon dioxide may comprise compressing the feed gas in a feed gas compressor to produce a compressed feed gas. The process may also comprise separating the compressed feed gas by an adsorption process comprising: using a plurality of adsorbent beds to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream and a carbon dioxide-depleted stream, and a blowdown step. A blowdown gas may be removed from the adsorbent bed. The process may also comprise compressing the blowdown gas in the feed gas compressor and combining the blowdown gas with the compressed feed gas.

Abstract: Intraoral appliances are disclosed that provide electrical stimulation to tissue in a patient's oral cavity in a manner that reduces apnea events during sleep. A representative appliance can induce a current or currents through tissue and/or anatomical structures in a manner that maintains upper airway tone and/or patency.

Abstract: A knot stretcher for use in tightening splice knots that connect twine balls on an agricultural baler. The knot stretcher includes a pair of pulling bars connected at pulling bar pivot at one end of each of the pulling bars, and a pair of levers, where one of the pair of levers is attached in a middle section of its respective pulling bar. Each lever has a handle portion at one end and an arm portion extending from an elbow formed in the lever. Each lever attaches to its respective pulling bar with a fixed pivot located near the elbow and distal ends of the arm portions of the two levers are attached at a moving pivot. The knot stretcher has clamping jaws positioned on the pulling bars to securely clamp a respective one of the twine tails of the splice knot that is to be tightened.

Abstract: A laser positioning system is used in association with a crane within a manufacturing facility. The laser positioning system includes a laser source that is mounted on an immovable or non-moving wall or surface in the manufacturing facility. The laser source on the wall or surface ensures that the laser beam does not skew out of square relative to the movement of the crane to various locations in the facility.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl methacrylate from methacrolein and methanol. The process comprises contacting in a reactor a mixture comprising methacrolein, methanol and oxygen with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a support and a noble metal, wherein said catalyst has an average diameter of at least 200 microns, liquid and gaseous reactants flow downward in the reactor and wherein the continuous phase in the reactor is a gas which has no more than 7.5 mol % oxygen at reactor inlets.

Abstract: A casting system includes a casting for an automobile vehicle having an interior section. Multiple central portions are individually positioned in one of multiple areas of the interior section completely encapsulated by a metal of the casting. An insert member is positioned in individual ones of the multiple central portions, the insert member having a higher melting point than a melting point of a metal of the casting the insert member displaces.

Abstract: A method for crowd-sourced compensation ranging is provided, the method including, at least, inclusion, analysis and application of a wide variety of available compensable factors, including one or more crowd-sourced compensable factors.

Abstract: The invention provides a comprehensive system, method and computer program product for data structure clustering based on variation in data attribute performance. In general, the invention is configured to link a sub-set of data structures out of a global set of data structures based on identifying stimulus type attributes that are structured to produce a functional performance parameter of the associated data structure, particularly in the field of hospital data analysis. Typically, the invention is configured to receive a request for construction of a peer data cluster for a first functional performance parameter of the first entity data structure. The invention may then determine at least one second entity data structure of a plurality of entity data structures that is a peer entity data structure, and linking the first entity data structure and the second entity data structure to form the peer data cluster.