Abstract: A multispectral imaging device and system is provided. The multispectral imaging device includes a light emitting diode (LED) array including a plurality of LEDs configured to sequentially emit light towards a target object to be scanned, each of the LEDs being configured to emit a differing wavelength from one another; a scanning hood configured to house the LED array; a luminosity sensor configured to capture luminosity data of each light emitted by the plurality of LEDs and reflected from the target object; a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to provide electronic connections and mounting surfaces for the LED array and the luminosity sensor; a housing configured encase the PCB; and a trigger configured to initiate operation of the LED array.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to improved methods for preparing substituted quinolinylcyclohexylpropanamide compounds.

Abstract: Methods are provided for connecting two dissimilar materials. The methods can include: placing a first material within a groove of a second material, the first material leaving at least a portion of the groove vacant; and placing a third material upon the first material and over the groove; heating the second and third materials to a temperature sufficient to plasticize the second and third materials within the groove and form a mixture of the second and third materials within the groove. Friction stir welding tools are also provided that can include a frusta conical tip having an upper portion defining smooth sidewalls and a lower portion defining a roughened structure.

Abstract: A method for connecting two dissimilar materials having different melting points is described wherein a the materials are heated together to obtain plasticization of the lower melting point material within a prefigured geometry within a first material in such a way so as to form intermetallic features within a solid state joint.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a polymeric based femoral and/or tibial component implant to be used in total knee replacement/arthroplasty procedures serving to provide increased wear resistance, enhanced physiological response at the bone/implant interface, and decreased stress-shielding. The implant can be made via additive manufacturing. The articulating surface of the implant may be implemented in without any additive or in a form containing an additive for improved tribological response. Further, the device disclosed herein contains an interfacial surface which is in contact with the native bone (i.e., bone/implant interface) which may exist in its pure form, containing a bioactive additive. The implant has a porous morphology on the bone/implant interface for improved biological response and improved fixation. The depth of the additives and the topographical morphology therein are controlled via techniques disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing pancreatic endocrine cells and uses of the cells obtained using the methods. The method utilises inhibitors or combinations of factors to provide increased quantities of endocrine material, for example for transplantation purposes.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing database transactions include executing a first transaction request in a preplay mode that locks the requested data with a prefetch-lock and reads one or more requested data items from storage into a main memory buffer; locking the requested data items with a read/write lock after said data items are read into the main memory buffer; and performing the requested transaction on the data items in the main memory buffer using a processor.

Abstract: A shopper reward server includes a communication module to receive purchase transaction data from a plurality of purchase interfaces of a retail enterprise, a database having stored therein a plurality of shopper purchase histories each including purchase transaction data for item purchases made over time by a different one of a corresponding plurality of shoppers, a transaction module to store purchase transaction data for each shopper in a corresponding shopper purchase history, and a shopper reward module to selectively generate for any of the shoppers at least one earn requirement, based on that shopper's purchase history, that must be satisfied by the shopper via at least one purchase made via any of the purchase interfaces in order to earn a corresponding discount reward redeemable against at least one specified item via any of the purchase interfaces.

Abstract: Methods are provided for connecting two dissimilar materials. The methods can include: placing a first material within a groove of a second material, the first material leaving at least a portion of the groove vacant; and placing a third material upon the first material and over the groove; heating the second and third materials to a temperature sufficient to plasticize the second and third materials within the groove and form a mixture of the second and third materials within the groove. Friction stir welding tools are also provided that can include a frusta conical tip having an upper portion defining smooth sidewalls and a lower portion defining a roughened structure.

Abstract: A method for solid state joining of dissimilar materials using a friction stir welding device wherein a pin is inserted through an aperture defined in a first material and a second material to hold the materials together and then held in place by friction stir welding a portion of the pin to a material adjacent said pin, or by friction stir welding a cap or plug that holds the pin in place to the adjacent material. The result is a connection or join wherein the central portion of the pin is not friction stir welded but the portions holding the pin in place (the ends or caps) generally are.

Abstract: A method for solid state joining of dissimilar materials using a friction stir welding device wherein a pin is inserted through an aperture defined in a first material and a second material to hold the materials together and then held in place by friction stir welding a portion of the pin to a material adjacent said pin, or by friction stir welding a cap or plug that holds the pin in place to the adjacent material. The result is a connection or join wherein the central portion of the pin is not friction stir welded but the portions holding the pin in place (the ends or caps) generally are.

Abstract: A crop feeding apparatus having a roller through which the fingers are extended and retracted, has fingers that are formed with tubular finger bodies extending between an inner end configured to be mounted on a finger drive arrangement of the crop feeding apparatus and an outer end of the finger body configured to protrude from the outer peripheral wall of the roller. A breakaway region is formed in the finger body by diametrically opposed slots which are circumferentially elongated to define a shear plane perpendicular to the long axis of the finger body. A slot axis extending between opposing ends of each slot is parallel to the axis of the crop feeding apparatus. The finger body is also hardened by heat treating, and by applying a wear resistant coating over the heat treated body.

Abstract: A method for solid state joining of dissimilar materials using a friction stir welding device wherein a pin is inserted through an aperture defined in a first material and a second material to hold the materials together and then held in place by friction stir welding a portion of the pin to a material adjacent said pin, or by friction stir welding a cap or plug that holds the pin in place to the adjacent material. The result is a connection or join wherein the central portion of the pin is not friction stir welded but the portions holding the pin in place (the ends or caps) generally are.

Abstract: A bobbin tool is disclosed that includes a top shoulder, a bottom shoulder, and an axial pin that extends between the top and bottom shoulders. The bottom shoulder has an annular shoulder end surface, a back surface opposite the annular shoulder end surface, and a side surface that joins the annular shoulder end surface and the back surface. One or more and radially-extending blades may be disposed on the side surface of the bottom shoulder and/or one or more axially-extending blades may be disposed on the back surface. The one or more blades provide the bobbin tool with an ability to friction stir weld a variable thickness workpiece assembly, axially plunged through the workpiece assembly along an axis of rotation of the bobbin tool, and/or be extracted through the workpiece assembly along an axis of rotation of the bobbin tool.

Abstract: A nanofiber yarn that includes a plurality of nanofibers twisted into a yarn along an alignment axis. The nanofibers of the plurality of nanofibers have a ratio of nanofiber length to nanofiber circumference of at least 50. The yarn has a helix angle measured relative to the alignment axis of from 5° to 30°. The yarn has tensile strength of at least 280 MPa. A nanofiber fabric that includes a first sheet of multiwalled nanotubes and a second sheet of multiwalled nanotubes on the first sheet of multiwalled nanotubes. The multiwalled nanotubes of the first sheet are aligned in a first direction. The multiwalled nanotubes of the second sheet are aligned in the first direction. The first sheet and the second sheet are aligned so that the multiwalled nanotubes of the first sheet and the second sheet are both aligned in the first direction.

Abstract: A nanofiber forest on a substrate can be patterned to produce a patterned assembly of nanofibers that can be drawn to form nanofiber sheets, ribbons, or yarns.

Abstract: Methods and a system are provided. A method includes maintaining an in-page log for records in each of a plurality of data pages of a multi-version database. The method further includes adding record update information to the in-page log when a corresponding one of the records is deleted or updated. The method also includes consulting the in-page log for a recently updated one of the records or a recently deleted one of the records to determine a record status thereof. The method additionally includes spilling, by a processor-based overflow manager, to overflow pages when the in-page log is full. The data pages include any of row-oriented data pages and column-oriented data pages.

Abstract: Methods and a system are provided. A method includes maintaining an in-page log for records in each of a plurality of data pages of a multi-version database. The method further includes adding record update information to the in-page log when a corresponding one of the records is deleted or updated. The method also includes consulting the in-page log for a recently updated one of the records or a recently deleted one of the records to determine a record status thereof. The method additionally includes spilling, by a processor-based overflow manager, to overflow pages when the in-page log is full. The data pages include any of row-oriented data pages and column-oriented data pages.

Abstract: An improved process for performing ultrasonic sensing and inspections wherein a cold-spray technique is used to kinetically bond powdered material to a substrate and then an EMAT sensor is magnetically attached to the coating. In use the ultrasound will transfer from the magnetostrictive layer into the substrate more effectively than any glued coating without concerns for long term degradation.

Abstract: A method includes the following steps. One or more records are accessed from a database memory bypassing a database access mechanism of a database system. Data representing access frequency of the one or more records are collected. The collected access frequency data for the one or more records are maintained. The access frequency data for the one or more records are aggregated until the access frequency reaches a threshold value. The aggregated access frequency data are asynchronously reported for the one or more records to the database system.