Abstract: A flow and pressure stabilization device comprises a housing; a first fluid chamber; a gas chamber; a deformable bladder that separates the first fluid chamber from the gas chamber and at least partially defines a volume of the first fluid chamber; a second fluid chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid chamber via a fluid passage; and a variable flow valve in fluid communication with the second fluid chamber, the variable flow valve comprising: a fluid port in fluid communication with a fluid outlet; a deformable diaphragm positioned adjacent the fluid port, the diaphragm at least partially defining a volume of the second fluid chamber; and an outflow control button coupled to the diaphragm and extending at least partially into the fluid port, the outflow control button comprising an at least partially tapered surface.

Abstract: A method for treating surface tissue of a patient includes: providing an electrode having a contact surface, wherein the contact surface has a curved profile; placing the contact surface in contact with surface tissue of the patient; and sliding the contact surface across and in contact with the surface tissue while applying electrosurgical currents to the surface tissue via the contact surface to thereby vaporize and ablate the surface tissue and form a treated band of the surface tissue.

Abstract: An optical device, such as a microscope, is disclosed that can be assembled from flat materials. The optical device can be assembled via a series of folds of a flat material. The optical microscope can include a stage for supporting a sample, an optic stage, and a light source. The optic stage can include one or more lenses. The optical microscope can be capable of obtaining simultaneous images from different forms of microscopy. The optical microscope may have bright field and filter field viewing capabilities wherein a user shifts from bright field to filter field by lateral movement of the stage containing a lens and a light source that cooperate to provide either the bright field or the filter field.

Abstract: A flow and pressure stabilization device comprises a housing; a first fluid chamber; a gas chamber; a deformable bladder that separates the first fluid chamber from the gas chamber and at least partially defines a volume of the first fluid chamber; a second fluid chamber in fluid communication with the first fluid chamber via a fluid passage; and a variable flow valve in fluid communication with the second fluid chamber, the variable flow valve comprising: a fluid port in fluid communication with a fluid outlet; a deformable diaphragm positioned adjacent the fluid port, the diaphragm at least partially defining a volume of the second fluid chamber; and an outflow control button coupled to the diaphragm and extending at least partially into the fluid port, the outflow control button comprising an at least partially tapered surface.

Abstract: A microfluidic centrifuge is provided that includes a microfluidic disc having a pair of through holes that include a first through hole and a second through hole, where the pair of through holes are disposed symmetric and proximal to a central axis of the microfluidics disc, where the microfluidics disc includes a sealable input port and a sealable output port, where the sealable input port and the sealable output port are connected by a microfluidics channel, and a pair of tethers disposed through the pair of through holes that are disposed to twist about each other for unwinding where the tether unwinding is disposed to interact with the through holes, where the microfluidics disc rotates about the central axis.

Abstract: A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles; b. heating and moving the particles in the bed to form a mobile cooking medium in the form of a heated, mobile bed of particles; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the snack food precursor elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated, mobile particles transfer heat into the snack food precursor elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Abstract: A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles, wherein the particles are composed of, comprise or consist of a material which is magnetic and/or electroconductive; b. heating the particles in the bed to form a cooking medium in the form of a heated bed of particles, wherein in step b the particles are heated at least partially by electromagnetic induction; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated particles transfer heat into the elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-aided technology (CAx) system includes a memory storing an inspection system. The CAx system further includes a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the inspection system to receive a computer aided design (CAD) model of a part design as input. The processor is additionally configured to execute the inspection system to provide a list of definitions included in the CAD model, and to iterate through the list to select a sublist of definitions for inspection. The processor is also configured to execute the inspection system to create an inspection model based on the sublist of definitions, and to create an inspection code, wherein the inspection code comprises instructions executable via an automated inspection system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a container. The container includes one or more sidewalls and a base portion coupled to the one or more sidewalls, the base portion including at least one recess disposed in a bottom surface of the base portion, the at least one recess having a depth less than the thickness of the base portion. The apparatus also includes a platform. The platform includes a recess disposed in a top surface of the platform and having a depth less than the thickness of the platform, the recess dimensioned to receive at least the base portion. The platform includes at least one projection projecting from a recessed top surface within the recess disposed in the top surface of the platform. The at least one recess disposed in the bottom surface of the base portion is dimensioned to receive, and at least partially interlock with, the at least one projection.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for backing up and restore a deployment on a cloud computing platform are described. A deployment on a cloud computing platform includes a set of virtual machines and corresponding disks. A deployment may include multiple subunits designated as deployment jobs. A respective job specification file specifies respective resources used by each deployment job. The resources include various scripts specifying actions to take before, during, and after a backup. A backup orchestrator, upon receiving a backup request for the deployment, executes the scripts in a pre-specified sequence ordered by script type. When a particular type of scripts executes, the corresponding script for each deployment job, if specified in the specification file to correspond to that type, executes. When all scripts of a particular type finish execution, scripts having a next type execute. Accordingly, the operations of backing up multiple deployment jobs are synchronized and orchestrated.

Abstract: A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles, wherein the particles are composed of, comprise or consist of a material which is magnetic and/or electroconductive; b. heating the particles in the bed to form a cooking medium in the form of a heated bed of particles, wherein in step b the particles are heated at least partially by electromagnetic induction; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated particles transfer heat into the elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Abstract: A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles; b. heating and moving the particles in the bed to form a mobile cooking medium in the form of a heated, mobile bed of particles; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the snack food precursor elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated, mobile particles transfer heat into the snack food precursor elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Abstract: A refrigerator storage system is described. The refrigerator storage system comprises a display having a home screen and a processor coupled to the display. The processor is configured to display at least one widget that provides an operation on the display, wherein the at least one widget comprises an interface portion providing direct access to a feature of the widget, wherein the direct access to the feature of the widget is provided from the home screen.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented by which a contractor can initiate a proposed variation to a project contract and request payments against the proposed variation even before the variation is approved by the other party to the project contract. A data structure representative of proposed variation is generated and maintained as the proposed variation is reviewed, approved, and elevated to become part of the actual budget for the project. Because the same data structure is maintained throughout the process and after the proposed variation is approved, payment requests, payments, and any other actions taken against the data structure before the proposed variation is approved are automatically linked to the actual budget after approval and, thereby, are recognized and processed by external accounting systems as though the variations were created by the other party to the contract.

Abstract: An optical device, such as a microscope, is disclosed that can be assembled from flat materials. The optical device can be assembled via a series of folds of a flat material. The optical microscope can include a stage for supporting a sample, an optic stage, and a light source. The optic stage can include one or more lenses. The optical microscope can be capable of obtaining simultaneous images from different forms of microscopy. The optical microscope may have bright field and filter field viewing capabilities wherein a user shifts from bright field to filter field by lateral movement of the stage containing a lens and a light source that cooperate to provide either the bright field or the filter field.

Abstract: A permanently sealed vacuum tube is used to provide the electrons for an electron microscope. This advantageously allows use of low vacuum at the sample, which greatly simplifies the overall design of the system. There are two main variations. In the first variation, imaging is provided by mechanically scanning the sample. In the second variation, imaging is provided by point projection. In both cases, the electron beam is fixed and does not need to be scanned during operation of the microscope. This also greatly simplifies the overall system.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a body-worn sensor-based system for evaluating the biomechanics and the motor adaptation characteristics of postural control during a sport activity such as a golf swing. Various embodiments use sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to measure the three-dimensional motion of ankle and hip joints. In several embodiments, additional sensors attached to other body segments are used to improve the accuracy of the data or detect particular instants during the swing (e.g., top of back swing, instant of the maximum speed of arm, and instant of ball impact). In a golf embodiment, the system combines the measured data in conjunction with a biomechanical model of the human body to: (1) estimate the two-dimensional sway of the golfer's center of mass; (2) quantify and evaluate the golfer's balance via his/her postural compensatory strategy; and (3) provide visual feedback to the golfer for improving dynamic postural control.

Abstract: An optical device, such as a microscope, is disclosed that can be assembled from flat materials. The optical device can be assembled via a series of folds of a flat material. The optical microscope can include a stage for supporting a sample, an optic stage, and a light source. The optic stage can include one or more lenses. The optical microscope can be capable of obtaining simultaneous images from different forms of microscopy. The optical microscope may have bright field and filter field viewing capabilities wherein a user shifts from bright field to filter field by lateral movement of the stage containing a lens and a light source that cooperate to provide either the bright field or the filter field.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides, among other things, a radiator system, its components, as well as methods of mounting and/or installing thereof. Provided components include radiating fins arranged around a water pipe to form a core assembly. The radiating fins may include a collar and/or reflare and are spaced in the core assembly to permit airflow through the system. The core assembly may be mounted by support elements on hangers from a back plate which is wall mountable. The support elements may create space for airflow between the core assembly and a front casing and/or the back panel. Provided systems, components and methods are useful in commercial and residential baseboard radiators.