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: 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: 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 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: A process of producing a yarn, ribbon or sheet that includes nanofibers in which the process includes forming a yarn, ribbon or sheet comprising nanofibers, and applying an enhancing agent comprising a polymer to the yarn, ribbon or sheet.

Abstract: Fabricating a nanofiber sheet, ribbon, or yarn by a continuous process that includes synthesizing a nanofiber forest in a forest growth region on a substrate, wherein the nanofiber forest comprises a parallel array of nanofibers, and further includes drawing said nanofibers from the nanofiber forest to form a primary assembly that is a sheet, ribbon or yarn. The substrate continuously moves from the furnace growth region into a region where the nanofibers in the forest are drawn.

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: 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: 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 process of producing a yarn, ribbon or sheet comprising nanofibers that includes infiltrating a liquid into the yarn, ribbon or sheet and evaporating the liquid from the yarn, ribbon, or sheet to strengthen the yarn, ribbon or sheet. The yarn, ribbon, or sheet can be formed by solid-state draw from a carbon nanotube forest.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and materials relating to obtaining or expanding populations of islet cells, and uses of the islet cells obtained by these methods, for example in the treatment of diabetes. The invention uses transcription factors in a process of expansion and de-differention, followed by redifferentiation.

Abstract: A computer structured to calculate a cost-per-page for a fleet of printing devices. The computer is further structured to communicate with a device to output the cost-per-page to an operator.

Abstract: Fabricating a nanofiber sheet, ribbon, or yarn by a continuous process that includes synthesizing a nanofiber forest in a furnace growth region on a substrate, wherein the nanofiber forest comprises a parallel array of nanofibers, and further includes drawing said nanofibers from the nanofiber forest to form a primary assembly that is the sheet, ribbon or yarn. The substrate continuously moves from the furnace growth region into a region where the nanofibers in the forest are drawn.

Abstract: A device including an array of aligned conductive channels. The conductive channels are operable for directional transport of species selected from the group consisting of electrons, ions, phonons, and combinations thereof. The conductive channels are provided for by nanofibers in a form selected from the group consisting of ribbons, sheets, yarns, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A process of producing a yarn, ribbon or sheet that includes nanofibers in which the process includes forming a yarn, ribbon or sheet comprising nanofibers, and applying an enhancing agent comprising a polymer to the yarn, ribbon or sheet.

Abstract: Fabricating a nanofiber ribbon or sheet with a process that includes providing a primary assembly by arranging carbon nanotube nanofibers in aligned arrays, the arrays having a degree of inter-fiber connectivity, drawing the carbon nanotube nanofibers from the primary assembly into a sheet or ribbon, and depositing the sheet or ribbon on a substrate.

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.