Abstract: An aircraft is provided including a fuselage that extends along a longitudinal direction between a forward end and an aft end. A boundary layer ingestion fan is mounted to the fuselage at the aft end and is configured for ingesting boundary layer airflow off the surface of the fuselage. The fuselage defines a profile proximate the boundary layer ingestion fan that is optimized for ingesting a maximum amount of boundary layer air and improving propulsive efficiency of the aircraft. More specifically, the fuselage defines a cross sectional profile upstream of the boundary layer ingestion fan that has more cross sectional area in a top half relative to a bottom half as defined relative to a centerline of the boundary layer ingestion fan.

Abstract: Encoding a video data stream comprising a first and second frame of video data, encoding comprising the steps of: obtaining motion prediction data for a plurality of pixels, the motion prediction data indicative of the predicted relative motion of the plurality of pixels between the first and second frames of video data; obtaining a data mask comprising data indicative of relative weights to be applied for predicting pixels for the second frame; determining update data to define a relative difference between a plurality of pixels in the first frame and a corresponding plurality of pixels in the second frame, wherein said update data is based on a weighted scaling of the motion prediction data and the second frame of video data, said weighted scaling based on the data mask; and encoding the video data stream comprising at least the first frame of video data and the update data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for tracking physical delivery of a batch of products through a third party system and registration of the batch of products with a seller using a non-recurring secure identifier for the batch of products are provided. The computer-implemented method and system allow for generating a non-recurring secure identifier for a batch of products containing one or more products; assigning the non-recurring secure identifier to the batch of products; and using the non-recurring secure identifier for associating the batch of products with an account of a recipient, wherein the batch of products are enabled to receive services associated with the account.

Abstract: A duct for a gas turbine engine, the duct has a wall defining a flow passage for an airflow, the wall defining a baseline surface, the duct comprising an off-take port for drawing a portion of the airflow out of the duct, the off-take port including a projected portion projecting away from the baseline surface into the flow passage, a conduit opening defined within the projected portion for receiving the portion of the airflow, and an off-take conduit communicating with the conduit opening for directing the portion of the airflow away from the duct, the projected portion having a hump upstream of the conduit opening relative to a direction of the airflow and a scoop downstream of the opening relative to the direction of the airflow.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods using protein reporters as imaging agents in 129Xe NMR and MRI applications. It is described that bla and MBP are genetically-encoded proteins that induce a detectable chemical shift during 129Xe NMR, allowing for use as protein reporters in research and clinical applications.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide for a circuit. In at least some examples, the circuit includes a first switch coupled between a first node and a second node and a second switch coupled between a third node and the second node. The circuit further includes a resistor coupled between the second node and a fourth node and a capacitor comprising a first terminal coupled to the fourth node and a second terminal. The circuit further includes a transistor comprising a drain terminal coupled to the third node, a source terminal coupled to a fifth node, and a gate terminal and an amplifier comprising a first input terminal coupled to the fifth node, a second input terminal coupled to the fourth node, and an output terminal coupled to a sixth node.

Abstract: Processing cores with the ability to suppress operations based on a contribution estimate for those operations for purposes of increasing the overall performance of the core are disclosed. Associated methods that can be conducted by such processing cores are also disclosed. One such method includes generating a reference value for a composite computation. A complete execution of the composite computation generates a precise output and requires execution of a set of component computations. The method also includes generating a component computation approximation. The method also includes evaluating the component computation approximation with the reference value. The method also includes executing a partial execution of the composite computation using the component computation approximation to produce an estimated output.

Abstract: A radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna for a vending machine includes a controller and configured to selectively provide an item stored therein to a user. The RFID antenna includes a pair of short-circuited emitters, an antenna divider disposed between said pair of short-circuited emitters, a pair of cables each comprising a pair of low signal attenuation and feed points and each connecting respective one of said pair of short-circuited emitters to said antenna divider; and a connector coupled to said antenna divider for connecting said antenna divider to the controller of the vending machine.

Abstract: A flight display system for providing a visualization of an assumed lateral and vertical flight path on an avionic display for an aircraft performing energy management during an approach procedure, and methods for producing the same. The system improves upon available human-machine interfaces (HMI) by providing information not otherwise available; that being, a visualization of an assumed lateral and vertical flight path to assist the flight crew in making adjustments to the configuration of the aircraft when the aircraft is making an approach to an airport.

Abstract: There is described a drinking straw (3, 3?) for a package (2) being filled with a pourable food product. The drinking straw (3, 3?) comprises at least an inlet opening (11) for allowing the introduction of the pourable food product into the drinking straw (3, 3?), a tubular main portion (16) configured to be inserted, in use, into the package (2), having the inlet opening (11) and a sleeve (22, 22?) superimposed on and/or surrounding at least a section of the tubular main portion (16). The sleeve (22, 22?) is configured to allow for the insertion and/or introduction of the drinking straw (3, 3?) into the package (2) and to impede and/or hinder and/or block a removal and/or separation of the drinking straw (3, 3?) from the package (2) after introduction and/or insertion of the drinking straw (3, 3?) into the package (2).

Abstract: An optical waveguide structure comprises a first coupler and a second coupler that, in combination, direct a first-wavelength light to travel through a nonlinear-optical waveguide, the two couplers and an extension waveguide but not a secondary waveguide, a first resonator loop is defined for which the first-wavelength light is resonant. The two couplers, in combination, also direct a second-wavelength light to travel through the nonlinear-optical waveguide, the two couplers and the secondary waveguide but not the extension waveguide, wherein a different second resonator loop is defined for which the second-wavelength light is resonant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions of chemical chaperone and methods of using the same to treat endoplasmic reticulum stress including pulmonary or cardiac insufficiency in diseases such as osteogenesis imperfecta.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the synthesis of a compound of formula (X). R2 is selected from —H, —C1-C4-alkyl, —C2-C4-alkenyl and C1-C4-aryl; R3 is selected from —C(O)H and —C(O)C1-C4-alkyl; and A is a pharmaceutically acceptable anion (e.g. a halide). Also provided are intermediate compounds formed during the synthesis.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a tissue specimen includes moving a biopsy needle through a vasculature and through a wall of a blood vessel at a target site. At the target site, the biopsy needle forms a puncture through a wall of said blood vessel at a non-perpendicular angle so that an inner-wall opening of the puncture is further downstream from an outer-wall opening of the puncture. The biopsy needle resects a portion of tissue. The biopsy needle reenters the puncture with the portion of the tissue trapped therein. The biopsy needle is withdrawn from the vasculature for subsequent inspection of the tissue.

Abstract: A fitness device for training the whole body. The device has coaxially arranged one over tubular elements of the same diameter, and an inner body disposed in the cavities 4?, 5? and 7?, defined by the tubular elements. At the base of the inner body is a drive motor, providing rotational movement of the lower tubular element and the part of the inner body disposed in its cavity, which transmits the rotational movement and of the part of the inner body disposed in the cavity, by a spindle, at least two obstacles with identical construction respectively lower and upper, each magnetically connected to a sliding means, respectively detachably connected to sliders and of the inner body and a cover.

Abstract: An optical waveguide structure comprises a nonlinear optical waveguide comprising a nonlinear optical material having a second order nonlinear coefficient that changes with a direction of light propagation. A first portion of the nonlinear optical waveguide in which a light propagating through the first portion is affected by a positive value of a second order nonlinear coefficient. A second portion of the nonlinear optical waveguide in which the light propagating through the first portion is affected by a negative value of a second order nonlinear coefficient, wherein a set of dimensions in the nonlinear optical waveguide in the first portion and the second portion is selected to cause the light to have a phase walk-off that is an odd multiple of 180 degrees.

Abstract: A diagnostic system performs disease diagnostic tests using at least an optical property modifying device and a mobile device. A user provides a biological sample from a patient to the optical property modifying device that reacts with a reagent in one or more reaction chambers of the device. The user captures one or more images of the one or more reaction chambers using an optical sensor of the mobile device. The diagnostic system can determine a quality level of the images based on factors such as skew, scale, focusing, shadowing, or white-balancing. Based on an analysis of the captured image, the diagnostic system can determine a test result of a disease diagnostic test for the patient. The diagnostic system may communicate the test result, as well as instructions for the disease diagnostic test, to the user via the mobile device.

Abstract: Methods of creating additive manufactured parts include selectively dispensing a second composition onto a top surface of a first composition in a vat. The second composition is dispensed in a shape area according to a layer of a part to be created by additive manufacturing. Polymerization components for formation of the layer are kept separate from each other until the dispensing, with at least one of the polymerization components being in the second composition. The top surface is illuminated to expose the first composition and the second composition to light having a polymerization wavelength, thereby causing polymerization of the layer of the part only in the shape area where the second composition was dispensed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assessing the quality of network-related Indicators of Compromise comprising the phase of calculating, by a computerized data processing unit, a quality score for Indicators of Compromise of the IP Address type, the steps of assigning an autonomous system score of the IP Address according to a predefined range of values based on a database of autonomous system owners, assigning a subnet score of said IP Address according to a predefined range of values based on a database of subnet owners, assigning a services hosted score of the IP Address according to a predefined range of values based on known malicious services hosted by the IP Address before the phase of calculating the quality score, calculating the IP Address quality score as sum of the autonomous system score, subnet score and services hosted score and wherein the method comprises a phase of evaluating the calculated quality score comprises, for each of the Indicators of Compromise of the IP Address type,