Abstract: An improved rail anchoring spike that includes barbs is used for fastening metal to ties. The spike includes a head having one or more flanges and a stand-off extending axially from the flange(s). The spike includes a shank extending axially from the stand-off to form a tapered tip. The shank is adapted to engage dense material of the tie by a combination of threads and barbs on the shank. The threads are generally parallel and extend over a threaded portion of the shank. The shank includes a plurality of barbs positioned in a lower half of the threaded portion. Each barb is positioned between a pair of threads. Each barb is configured to minimize damage to fibers of the tie during installation of the spike as the fibers relax behind, and engage with, a barbed end. This prevents movement of the spike over time despite deterioration of the tie.

Abstract: System and methods for analyzing single molecules and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An integrated device may include multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which when excited, emits radiation. The integrated device includes a surface having a trench region recessed from a portion of the surface and an array of sample wells, disposed in the trench region. The integrated device also includes a waveguide configured to couple excitation energy to at least one sample well in the array and positioned at a first distance from a surface of the trench region and at a second distance from the surface in a region separate from the trench region. The first distance is smaller than the second distance. The system also includes an instrument that interfaces with the integrated device. The instrument may include an excitation energy source for providing excitation energy to the integrated device by coupling to an excitation energy coupling region of the integrated device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a dual-polarized antenna array are described. An example antenna array may include a parallel plate polarizer that may include upper and lower plates. The antenna array may include stepped septums extending between the plates, each of the stepped septums having a first and second side surfaces, the stepped septums comprising first and second sets that are inverted relative to each other. The antenna array may include a first divided waveguides associated with a first polarization that may have a first set of opposing walls formed by first portions of the upper and lower plates and a second set of opposing walls. The antenna array may include second divided waveguides associated with a second polarization that may have a first set of opposing walls formed by second portions of the upper and lower plates and a second set of opposing walls.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a convenient reusable handle device for a beverage can, which firmly holds the beverage can and makes it easy to carry. The beverage can handle device comprises an upper or top portion, a middle or handle portion and a lower or base portion, where the shapes of the top and base portions of the beverage can handle device are matched to that of the top rim and bottom rim, respectively, of the beverage can, so as to engage and clasp securely the beverage can. The base of the beverage can handle device is configured to linearly traverse the bottom diameter of the beverage can in a single direction when the base is contracted and to linearly traverse the bottom diameter of the beverage can in two directions (e.g., substantially perpendicular directions in a “scissor hinge”) when the base is expanded.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for rendering light probes in a virtual environment are disclosed. Noisy lighting data is accessed in a data structure associated with a light probe in a set of light probes in an environment. The noisy lighting data is provided as an input to a neural network. The neural network is trained to output an estimate of non-noisy lighting data based on the input. The noisy lighting data is replaced in the data structure with the estimated non-noisy lighting data.

Abstract: A sole board for an article of footwear includes a plate that has a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The sole board includes a channel disposed in a top surface of the plate in the forefoot region. The channel extends from a lateral edge of the plate to a medial edge of the plate. A characteristic of the channel at the lateral and medial edges of the plate is different than the characteristic of the channel at a middle of the channel.

Abstract: A peak detector for a power amplifier is provided that includes a threshold voltage detector configured to pulse a detection current in response to an amplified output signal from the amplifier exceeding a peak threshold. A plurality of such peak detectors may be integrated with a corresponding plurality of power amplifiers in a transmitter. Should any peak detector assert an alarm signal or more than a threshold number of alarm signals during a given period, a controller reduces a gain for the plurality of power amplifiers.

Abstract: An agricultural toolbar having: a frame; a wheel mounted to the frame and disposed to be on one side of a trench opened by a furrow opening assembly, wherein the wheel has a channel disposed from the outer circumference and radially inward toward the center of the wheel and disposed to at least partially accept a fluid injector at least partially within the channel; and wherein the fluid injector is disposed behind the wheel.

Abstract: A method for forming dental appliance having an ornamental indicia carrier may include forming a polymeric shell, forming a first adhesive layer configured to be adhered to the polymeric shell, the first adhesive layer including a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, forming a first adhesion layer over the first adhesive layer, and applying a colorant between the first adhesion layer and the pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator for separating solids from a liquid stream has a rotating drum with a perforated outer wall, an auger in the rotating drum, and a driver that rotates the drum and the auger. The drum has an inlet at a first end for receiving the liquid stream, and a solids outlet at a second end. The auger has a helical flight with an outer edge that is immediately adjacent to an inner surface of the outer wall. The driver rotates the rotating drum to apply a centrifugal force to fluids within the rotating drum such that liquid exits via the perforated outer wall, and the auger is rotated at a different speed such that the auger removes solids from an inner surface of the rotating drum and conveys the solids toward the solids outlet.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for producing one or more carbon fiber precursor fibers, particularly by spinning a polymer solution, wherein the polymer has a polydispersity (PDI) of less than or equal to 2, in a coagulation bath with a jet stretch of about 5 to about 60. The one or more carbon fiber precursor fibers produced may be used for producing carbon fiber, typically carbon fiber used in manufacturing composite materials.

Abstract: Aspects of the application provide methods of identifying and sequencing proteins, polypeptides, and amino acids, and compositions useful for the same. In some aspects, the application provides methods of obtaining data during a degradation process of a polypeptide, and outputting a sequence representative of the polypeptide. In some aspects, the application provides amino acid recognition molecules having a shielding element that enhances photostability in polypeptide sequencing reactions.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that are useful for controlling one or more aspects of a power production plant. More particularly, the disclosure relates to power production plants and methods of carrying out a power production method utilizing different fuel chemistries. Combustion of the different fuel mixtures can be controlled so that a defined set of combustion characteristics remains substantially constant across a range of different fuel chemistries.

Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques utilizing computers to process service billing data, generate one or more groups of customers based on one or more attributes of the data, and train a recurrent neural network (RNN) to predict future bill amounts for customers. Embodiments further include techniques to predict the future bill amounts of the customers and providing an indication of the bill amounts to the customers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for establishing access to vehicles is provided. The embodiment may include identifying at least two devices, including a requesting device and a target device. The embodiment may also include identifying one or more networks, including at least one alternative network. The embodiment may further include evaluating each network from the one or more networks to determine a best network. The embodiment may also include establishing access from the requesting device to the target device over the determined best network.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for monitoring release pipelines. The methods and systems calculate health metrics of release pipelines using telemetry data from the release pipelines. The methods and systems determine whether the release pipelines are healthy based on the health metrics. The methods and systems automatically trigger one or more actions in response to determining that the release pipelines are unhealthy and continue to monitor the release pipelines in response to determining that the release pipelines are healthy.

Abstract: A method of operating phase change memories and corresponding device and computer program product are provided. An example of write operations in a phase change memory includes: if a first set contains at least one cell set at a high logic level, performing a reset write operation to set to a low logic level the cell by applying at least one current reset pulse; and if a second set contains at least one cell set at a low logic level, performing a set write operation to set to a high logic level the afore the cell. Success or failure of the set write operation is verified. Success or failure of the reset write operation is verified. The write operation is considered as failed in response to the reset write operation being considered as failed or to the set write operation being considered as failed.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for use in the implementation and/or operation of preparing photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Specifically, the method include coupling a dicing tape to a first side of a wafer. The method also includes performing a first laser processing step to form a modified layer by applying at least one laser beam of a wavelength that has transmissivity through the wafer along a first projected dicing line to define a first facet and performing a second laser processing step to form the modified layer by applying the at least one laser beam to the wafer along a second projected dicing line to define a second facet. The method further includes expanding the dicing tape to divide the wafer from the modified layer along at least the first projected dicing line and the second projected dicing line into PIC chips.

Abstract: A microelectronic assembly includes a bridge die embedded in a substrate. The substrate includes a doped dielectric material in a layer or region directly below the bridge die, and in a layer near an upper face of the bridge die. A cavity is formed in the upper layer of the doped dielectric material for embedding the bridge die, exposing the lower layer of the doped dielectric material. After cavity formation, a selective metallization of the lower and upper layers of the doped dielectric material is performed, providing well-aligned metal layers in the region of the bridge die and the region around the bridge die.