Abstract: In some embodiments, techniques for optimizing a design for a physical device to be fabricated by a fabrication system is provided. A computing system receives an initial design. The computing system simulates performance of the initial design to determine a simulated performance metric of the initial design. The computing system determines a Jacobian of the simulated performance metric of the initial design. The computing system backpropagates a gradient of the simulated performance metric of the initial design to generate an updated design. The computing system estimates performance of the updated design using the Jacobian of the simulated performance metric of the initial design to determine an estimated performance metric. The computing system backpropagates a gradient of the estimated performance metric to generate a further updated design.

Abstract: In some embodiments, techniques for optimizing a design for a physical device to be fabricated by a fabrication system is provided. A computing system receives an initial design. The computing system uses a fabrication model to determine structural parameters based on the initial design, wherein using the fabrication model includes applying one or more morphological transformations to the initial design that are predicted to be introduced by the fabrication system. The computing system obtains a performance metric by simulating performance of the structural parameters. The computing system determines a loss metric based on the performance metric. The computing system backpropagates a gradient of the loss metric to generate an updated design.

Abstract: Model predictive control is used to obtain the best performance value for an objective in a dynamic environment. One or more best performance values for a model predictive application are obtained by utilizing asymmetric dynamic behavior that pushes the process to the edges of the operative window. When a setpoint becomes infeasible, a controller slows down when moving away from a specified setpoint. When the infeasibility clears and the controller starts moving back towards the setpoint, the controller follows a tuned speed. When the controller moves in a direction against economic profit, the controller slows down and when moving in the direction of economic profit, the controller follows the tuned dynamic speed. The controller computes the best performance value for each controlled variable and is equal to the setpoint for the controlled variables with a setpoint or the highest profit value between limits for controlled values affected by economic functions.

Abstract: A staged application may be transitioned, or hot swapped, to live application, that is, the staged version of an application is transited to the live version of an application. The staged version may nm in estimation mode alongside the live version. Only one version of an application may be active in a given run time workspace. The staged version may be initialized with one or more parameters or variables. The staged version may be tested or simulations may be performed to ensure the staged version is ready to be transitioned to a live version. The staged version may execute at a lower priority to ensure that the efficiency and operations of the live version are not disturbed. Once the staged version has been transitioned, the replaced live version or another version may be transitioned to the staged version. The transitioned staged version and the replaced live version may be archived.

Abstract: Provided are Rhipicephalus nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and nucleic acid sequences encoding the same. Provided are furthermore a method of identifying a compound capable of modulating activity of a Rhipicephalus nACh receptor as well as a compound effective in modulating activity of a Rhipicephalus nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Abstract: An explosive composition for use in telescopically expanding non-lethal training ammunition comprises tetrazene and paraffin wax. The explosive composition can be used as a primer and/or as a source of energetic material in a telescopically expanding non-lethal training cartridge; it can be used to propel a projectile from a telescopically expanding non-lethal training cartridge; and/or it can be used to expand telescopically a non-lethal training cartridge within a host gun.

Abstract: It is advantageous to handle certain conditions when equipment (or equipment components) is taken out-of-service or shutdown for service or maintenance. Equipment service flags may be used to indicate that an individual variable will no longer be propagated as the associated equipment has been taken out of line for service. When multiple variables feed another system or component downstream, those variables may be placed in an equipment service set and that set may be associated with an indicator that indicates that the group of variables in the equipment service set is unavailable. A visual indicator as to which variables have been made unavailable for propagation may be displayed to a user. Once the equipment or system is brought back online or is taken out of equipment service mode, the appropriate flags and equipment service set are reset and associated variables are once again propagated downstream.

Abstract: It is advantageous to switch an active element with a background element. By using a switching mechanism, a background element can be made active while the application remains active. That is, the application does not need to be taken offline to switch the active element with a previously loaded background element. Single input/single output (SISO) relationships are defined for background elements and an active element which provides one or many functions and an active element which provides one or many functions between one input variable and one output variable. The switching mechanism acts on a given SISO relationship to determine the background element to use to replace the active element.

Abstract: The temporary relaxation of constraints permits the efficient and cost-effective operation of certain process models. Ramp imbalances are controlled using soft-landing constraints. Such soft-landing constraints permit a smooth return to a ramp limit which permits continued operation of a system, such as a petrochemical system that includes several inflows and outflows, as opposed to a forced shut-down of the system. A ramp imbalance may be controlled by determining imbalance ramp rates and imbalance set-point ramp rates and using those constraints to resolve the dynamic control problem of a process model.

Abstract: An explosive composition for use in telescopically expanding non-lethal training ammunition comprises tetrazene and paraffin wax. The explosive composition can be used as a primer and/or as a source of energetic material in a telescopically expanding non-lethal training cartridge; it can be used to propel a projectile from a telescopically expanding non-lethal training cartridge; and/or it can be used to expand telescopically a non-lethal training cartridge within a host gun.

Abstract: It is advantageous to handle certain conditions when equipment (or equipment components) is taken out-of-service or shutdown for service or maintenance. Equipment service flags may be used to indicate that an individual variable will no longer be propagated as the associated equipment has been taken out of line for service. When multiple variables feed another system or component downstream, those variables may be placed in an equipment service set and that set may be associated with an indicator that indicates that the group of variables in the equipment service set is unavailable. A visual indicator as to which variables have been made unavailable for propagation may be displayed to a user. Once the equipment or system is brought back online or is taken out of equipment service mode, the appropriate flags and equipment service set are reset and associated variables are once again propagated downstream.

Abstract: A staged application may be transitioned, or hot swapped, to live application, that is, the staged version of an application is transited to the live version of an application. The staged version may nm in estimation mode along-side the live version. Only one version of an application may be active in a given run time workspace. The staged version may be initialized with one or more parameters or variables. The staged version may be tested or simulations may be performed to ensure the staged version is ready to be transitioned to a live version. The staged version may execute at a lower priority to ensure that the efficiency and operations of the live version are not disturbed. Once the staged version has been transitioned, the replaced live version or another version may be transitioned to the staged version. The transitioned staged version and the replaced live version may be archived.

Abstract: The temporary relaxation of constraints permits the efficient and cost-effective operation of certain process models. Ramp imbalances are controlled using soft-landing constraints. Such soft-landing constraints permit a smooth return to a ramp limit which permits continued operation of a system, such as a petrochemical system that includes several inflows and outflows, as opposed to a forced shut-down of the system. A ramp imbalance may be controlled by determining imbalance ramp rates and imbalance set-point ramp rates and using those constraints to resolve the dynamic control problem of a process model.

Abstract: Model predictive control is used to obtain the best performance value for an objective in a dynamic environment. One or more best performance values for a model predictive application are obtained by utilizing asymmetric dynamic behavior that pushes the process to the edges of the operative window. When a setpoint becomes infeasible, a controller slows down when moving away from a specified setpoint. When the infeasibility clears and the controller starts moving back towards the setpoint, the controller follows a tuned speed. When the controller moves in a direction against economic profit, the controller slows down and when moving in the direction of economic profit, the controller follows the tuned dynamic speed. The controller computes the best performance value for each controlled variable and is equal to the setpoint for the controlled variables with a setpoint or the highest profit value between limits for controlled values affected by economic functions.

Abstract: It is advantageous to switch an active element with a background element. By using a switching mechanism, a background element can be made active while the application remains active. That is, the application does not need to be taken offline to switch the active element with a previously loaded background element. Single input/single output (SISO) relationships are defined for background elements and an active element which provides one or many functions and an active element which provides one or many functions between one input variable and one output variable. The switching mechanism acts on a given SISO relationship to determine the background element to use to replace the active element.

Abstract: A device for electrofracturing a material sample and analyzing the material sample is disclosed. The device simulates an in situ electrofracturing environment so as to obtain electrofractured material characteristics representative of field applications while allowing permeability testing of the fractured sample under in situ conditions.

Abstract: An explosive composition for use in telescopically expanding non-lethal training ammunition comprises tetrazene and paraffin wax. The explosive composition can be used as a primer and/or as a source of energetic material in a telescopically expanding non-lethal training cartridge; it can be used to propel a projectile from a telescopically expanding non-lethal training cartridge; and/or it can be used to expand telescopically a non-lethal training cartridge within a host gun.

Abstract: An electrochemical oxygen sensor is provided. The electrochemical sensor includes a housing having first and second compartments, a sensing electrode disposed within the first compartment of the housing, a consumable anode disposed within the second compartment of the housing, a porous separator between the sensing electrode and consumable electrode that separates the first and second compartments and an electrolyte saturating the porous separator and consumable anode. A first aperture on a first end of the housing extends between an outside surface of the housing and first compartment that allows gas access to the sensing electrode. A venting system on a second, opposing end of the housing includes a second aperture extending between the outside surface of the housing and second compartment and has a predetermined permeability that controls pressure in the second compartment and loss of moisture from the sensor.

Abstract: An electrochemical oxygen sensor includes a micro-porous plastic membrane supported on a sealing disk and located between a gas inflow port and the sensor's electrolyte. The membrane and disk minimize thermal shock effects due to using the sensor at a first location, at a first temperature, and then moving it to a second location at a different temperature.

Abstract: An electrochemical oxygen sensor includes a micro-porous plastic membrane supported on a sealing disk and located between a gas inflow port and the sensor's electrolyte. The membrane and disk minimize thermal shock effects due to using the sensor at a first location, at a first temperature, and then moving it to a second location at a different temperature.