Abstract: A replacement heart valve prosthesis is loaded onto a balloon mounted onto a balloon shaft of a catheter system. The balloon shaft is rotatably engaged with an actuator on the handle of the catheter system. Rotation of the actuator by a first amount in a first direction permits rotation of the heart valve prosthesis by a known amount during the procedure so that alignment of the commissures of the replacement valve with the commissures of the existing valve can be predictably achieved.

Abstract: A panel mounting system for mounting building materials to a building surface includes a rigid cleat fixed with the building surface. Multiple building panels each have a cleat depression formed in a rear surface for receiving the cleat. Each edge of the building panel interlocks with an adjacent panel so that all of the building panels hold each other together against the building surface along with the cleat. Some of the building panels may include a hooked flange projecting that engages a flange-receiving groove of an adjacent building panel to mutually secure the building panels together. Some embodiments include a gable rail fixed with the building surface that projecting outwardly to engage a gable rail-receiving slot formed within the rear surface of a trim panel that has an ornate front surface. Other decorative panels may be included for fixing with the trim panels or other of the bundling panels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch is positioned according to whether or not there may be slip across the driveline disconnect clutch. In one example, slip may be inferred from vehicle speed and a torque converter impeller speed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for removing carbonaceous clinker material from a coke oven are described. A coke oven can be provided including an oven floor, coke, and clinker material deposited on the oven floor. After a temperature of the coke oven has reached a first temperature (e.g., after heating coal in the oven to produce coke), the method includes increasing the temperature of the coke oven to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature for a predetermined amount of time. After the predetermined amount of time, the temperature is reduced to a third temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch is de-stroked in a particular way so that the driveline disconnect clutch may be de-stroked more consistently. The de-stroking process may be followed by boosting and stroking the driveline disconnect clutch so as to preposition the driveline disconnect clutch or holding the clutch at an offset below stroke pressure to minimize drag.

Abstract: A projectile designed to be lead-free and have a ballistic coefficient ranging from about 0.13 to about 0.80 or greater for enhanced energy/performance at extended ranges may have an elongated body formed with a jacket including a wall having an end defining an ogive portion and a cavity or recess defined within the jacket and in which a core is received. The projectile can be configured in various calibers and sizes. The projectile core may be formed from a plurality of core sections, and at least one of the plurality of core sections may include tungsten powder and a lead-free binder material pressed together to form a substantially cylindrical shape or compact. One or more of the core sections further can be sintered, and the one or more core sections may be received in an end-to-end relationship within the cavity defined by the jacket to form a stacked, sectional core.

Abstract: A roofing system for protecting a building comprises a plurality of side-interlocking and front-to-back interlocking roof panels. A top side includes a front flange projecting forward at a front end. One or more gutter panels may be included, each having a top side open to a U-shaped gutter. An interior of each roof panel and gutter panel includes an insulating foam material, and an outer surface includes a rigid shell. The gutter panel is adapted for fixing along an edge of the roof at least partially under the flange of any of the roof panels that are disposed along an edge of the roof. Preferably the roofing system further includes gable cap panels, soffit fascia panels, valley cap panels, and wind breakers for holding the roof panels down to the roof in wind.

Abstract: In an aspect there is disclosed examples of a clamp (10, 110) for measuring a tension of a conveyor belt (12). The clamp (10, 110) including a clamping portion (18, 118) arranged to engage with opposing faces of the conveyor belt (12) in a clamped condition to hold the conveyor belt (12) relative to an anchor, and a load sensing arrangement (22, 122) associated with the clamping portion (18, 118) configured to provide a signal indicative of the tension in the conveyor belt (12) in the clamped condition. A system and related method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Compositions, articles, systems, and methods for sensing and/or authentication using luminescence imaging are generally provided. In some embodiments, an article (or packaging material of an article) is associated with an emissive material comprising an emissive species (e.g., a luminescent species). In some cases, the emissive species has an emission lifetime of at least 10 nanoseconds (ns). In some cases, a characteristic of an article (e.g., identity, authenticity, age, quality, purity) may be determined by obtaining an image (or series of images) comprising time-dependent information related to an emissive species. In certain instances, for example, the emission lifetime of an emissive species may be determined from an image (or series of images). Since the emission lifetime of an emissive species may be modified by a number of factors, including but not limited to binding or proximity to other molecules (e.g.

Abstract: A program is executed using a call stack and shadow stack. The call stack includes frames having respective return addresses. The frames may also store variables and/or parameters. The shadow stack stores duplicates of the return addresses in the call stack. The call stack and the shadow stack are maintained by, (i) each time a function is called, adding a corresponding stack frame to the call stack and adding a corresponding return address to the shadow stack, and (ii) each time a function is exited, removing a corresponding frame from the call stack and removing a corresponding return address from the shadow stack. A backtrace of the program's current call chain is generated by accessing the return addresses in the shadow stack. The outputted backtrace includes the return addresses from the shadow stack and/or information about the traced functions that is derived from the shadow stack's return addresses.

Abstract: Provided herein are epigenetic-modifying DNA-targeting systems, such as CRISPR-Cas/guide RNA (gRNA) systems, for the transcriptional repression of Hepatitis B viral (HBV) genes to promote a cellular phenotype that leads to the reduction of HBV infection. In some embodiments, the epigenetic-modifying DNA-targeting systems bind to or target a target site of at least one gene or regulatory element thereof in a Hepatitis B viral DNA sequence in cell. In some aspects, the provided systems relate to the transcriptional repression of one or more Hepatitis B viral gene and/or regulatory element thereof. In some aspects, also provided herein are methods and uses related to the provided compositions, for example in repressing Hepatitis B viral replication and expression in connection with Hepatitis B infections.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch is de-stroked in a particular way so that the driveline disconnect clutch may be de-stroked more consistently. The de-stroking process may be followed by boosting and stroking the driveline disconnect clutch so as to preposition the driveline disconnect clutch or holding the clutch at an offset below stroke pressure to minimize drag.

Abstract: Provided herein are epigenetic-modifying DNA-targeting systems, such as CRISPR-Cas/guide RNA (gRNA) systems, for the transcriptional repression of Hepatitis B viral (HBV) genes to promote a cellular phenotype that leads to the reduction of HBV infection. In some embodiments, the epigenetic-modifying DNA-targeting systems bind to or target a target site of at least one gene or regulatory element thereof in a Hepatitis B viral DNA sequence in cell. In some aspects, the provided systems relate to the transcriptional repression of one or more Hepatitis B viral gene and/or regulatory element thereof. In some aspects, also provided herein are methods and uses related to the provided compositions, for example in repressing Hepatitis B viral replication and expression in connection with Hepatitis B infections.

Abstract: In some aspects, an activation computing device may capture an image containing a visual credential that is displayed on a screen of a credential computing device. The activation computing device may extract, from the visual credential, an activation link associated with a first profile. The activation computing device may retrieve data associated with the first profile from an profile database. The activation computing device may retrieve a near-field communication device (NFC) identifier from a respective NFC device. The activation computing device may associate the first profile with the near field communication (NFC) device identifier. Numerous other aspects are described.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table having a diamond grain size distribution selected for improving performance and/or leachability. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD table bonded to a substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting diamond-to-diamond bonding therebetween. Other embodiments are directed to methods of forming PDCs, and various applications for such PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

Abstract: Accessories for an electronic device and methods are described. The accessory comprises a substrate configured to be removably attached to the electronic device and a near-field communications (NFC) tag attached to the substrate and configured to transmit interaction data in response to receiving a signal from a separate electronic device. The interaction data causes the separate electronic device to access user data associated with a unique user account.

Abstract: This specification describes improvements to cutting blades and a cutting blade assembly. In some forms the cutting blade includes an upturn with an upturn radial angle which is non-parallel to a reference axis.

Abstract: A loading/unloading method for a gas turbine system is disclosed. The gas turbine system includes a combustion section featuring a primary combustion stage with a first plurality of fuel nozzles and a downstream, secondary combustion stage with a second plurality of fuel nozzles. For loading, the method progresses through each of a plurality of progressive combustion modes that sequentially activate a higher number of at least one of the first or second plurality of fuel nozzles; and for unloading, the method progresses through each of a plurality of progressive combustion modes that sequentially activate a lower number of at least one of the first or second plurality of fuel nozzles. During each combustion mode, regardless of whether loading or unloading, a primary combustion stage exit temperature of a combustion gas flow is controlled to be within a predefined target range corresponding to the respective combustion mode.

Abstract: Accessories for an electronic device and methods are described. The accessory comprises a substrate configured to be removably attached to the electronic device and a near-field communications (NFC) tag attached to the substrate and configured to transmit interaction data in response to receiving a signal from a separate electronic device. The interaction data causes the separate electronic device to access user data associated with a unique user account.