Abstract: A nuclear fuel includes uranium(IV) oxide (UO2) and manganese (Mn) as a dopant. The Mn dopant may be present in the fuel in an amount up to the solubility limit for Mn under a given set of conditions, for example, about 0.01 wt % to about 1 wt %. The nuclear fuel is substantially free of aluminum (Al). The nuclear fuel exhibits enhanced grain size development during sintering temperatures as low at 1400 K due to an increase in uranium sub-lattice vacancies induced by dissolution of the Mn dopant at interstitial defect sites. The Mn-doped nuclear fuel exhibits improved grain sizes at lower temperatures compared to Cr-, Al-, and undoped UO2, and therefore desirably exhibits lower fission gas release and higher plasticity, reducing the chances of fuel rod failure.

Abstract: Holographic volume gratings in waveguide cells can be recorded using many different methods and systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. One embodiment includes a holographic recording system including at least one laser source configured to emit recording beams and a movable platform configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein when the movable platform is in the first position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a first set of one or more recording beams toward a first set of one or more stations and when the movable platform is in the second position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a second set of one or more recording beams toward a second set of one or more stations.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced polymer part is fabricated by rastering a deposition head over a substrate, and additively forming part features by extruding a polymer having an entrained continuous reinforcement from the deposition head onto a substrate.

Abstract: Examples described herein relate to receiving, at a network interface, an allocation of a first group of one or more buffers to store data to be processed by a Message Passing Interface (MPI) and based on a received packet including an indicator that permits the network interface to select a buffer for the received packet and store the received packet in the selected buffer, the network interface storing a portion of the received packet in a buffer of the first group of the one or more buffers. The indicator can permit the network interface to select a buffer for the received packet and store the received packet in the selected buffer irrespective of a tag and sender associated with the received packet.

Abstract: A particulate plug for removing a preservative from a solution, suspension, or emulsion comprising a drug is presented. The plug comprises microparticles of oxidized polyolefin (OxPO). The microparticles are irregular-shaped rigid aggregates and are sized and packed to yield a hydraulic permeability greater than 0.01 Da. The OxPO have absorbed portions of a preservative to be removed and/or a drug for delivery in solution, as can the copolymer.

Abstract: A particulate plug for removing a preservative from a solution, suspension, or emulsion comprising a drug is presented. The plug comprises microparticles of oxidized polyolefin (OxPO). The microparticles are irregular-shaped rigid aggregates and are sized and packed to yield a hydraulic permeability greater than 0.01 Da. The OxPO have absorbed portions of a preservative to be removed and/or a drug for delivery in solution, as can the copolymer.

Abstract: A method for creating a consolidated work-flow on a multi-function device (MFD) is disclosed. For example, the method is executed by a processor and includes monitoring user interactions with the MFD, determining that an interaction threshold is exceeded, creating the consolidated work-flow for a particular user interaction with the MFD, and creating a short-cut associated with the consolidated work-flow, wherein the short-cut is to be displayed on a user interface (UI) of the MFD, wherein the consolidated work-flow is executed when the short-cut is selected.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide an integrated access control system. The integrated access control system includes both credential reader functionality and door controller functionality in the same package. In embodiments, the circuitry is miniaturized to fit within a standard “single gang” box such as those used for a standard light switch or receptacle. In this way, the integrated access control system of disclosed embodiments installs easily and unobtrusively in standard sized openings. To operate in a confined area such as a single gang box enclosure, a variety of thermal management and power management techniques are employed to provide reliable operation.

Abstract: A device configured to capture analytes from a large volume of fluid (e.g. more than 2 mL of urine, broth, or water), concentrate those analytes, and elute them into a small volume (e.g. 100 uL) for subsequent analysis is described. Use of the apparatus for more than 100×-1000× concentration of analytes. Hydrogel particles are specially engineered and designed to capture and retain specific analytes from the fluid and then exclude other, unwanted analytes. The device has three pieces, including a fluid filtration cup, a waste collection chamber, and an elution collection chamber.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for monitoring a collaboration system. The system accumulates a log of entries to identify events in the collaboration workspace. An entry in the log of entries identifies an event and comprises data specifying virtual coordinates of location within the workspace at which an interaction with the workspace is detected, data identifying a type of interaction, a graphical object associated with the interaction, and a time of the interaction. The system assigns classifications to entries in the log according to the data identifying a type of interaction. The system displays a graphical construct as a function of the classifications of the entries in the log of entries.

Abstract: This disclosure details assemblies for mounting and supporting components within battery packs. Exemplary battery packs may include a first battery array, a second battery array positioned adjacent to the first battery array, a crossmember positioned between the first battery array and the second battery array, and a support bracket connected to the crossmember. Together, the crossmember and the support bracket established an assembly. Both the first battery array and the second battery array may be secured to the crossmember, and the support bracket may support a second tier structure above at least one of the first battery array or the second battery array.

Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for facilitating the completion of a user task. That is, user intent (e.g., intentions of a user to perform a user task) may be identified. The user intent may comprise an entity (e.g., a movie entity) and/or an action (e.g., an order movie tickets action) that the user wants to perform on the entity. A provider list may be created based upon one or more providers capable of performing the action on the entity (e.g., a movie application may be capable of performing the order movie tickets action on the movie entity). Providers may be dynamically selected for inclusion within the provider list at run-time. For example, an open market of providers may be maintained (e.g., providers may be added, removed, and/or updated over time), such that providers may be selected from the open market to complete user tasks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel process for preparing Spiro derivatives, in particular 7-methyl-2-[4-methyl-6-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]pyrimidin-2-yl]-1,7-diazaspiro[4.4]nonan-6-one, and to novel intermediates for use in said process along with processes for preparing said intermediates.

Abstract: Due to discrepancies in musical timing signatures, the invention assesses whether a recorded displacement, expressed in terms of beats and fractions, between exit and entry points for a potential musical splice or cut, corresponds to permit a seamless music splicing of different musical sections. Assessment is achieved by establishing a third time base of pulses having a length dependent upon a lowest common multiple of fractions within respective bars for different sections, with the bars of the respective sections then partitioned into an equal number of fixed length pulses. A coefficient aligns different time signatures; it is a ratio between pulses within the different sections. The coefficient identifies corresponding locations of a cut point, related to a suitable anacrusis, in terms of respectively an aligned bar, beat, quaver and fraction in differing time signatures. The coefficient ensures that the time anacrusis in one time signature is interchangeable with others.

Abstract: An audio distribution system includes an audio source; and a plurality of audio playback devices in communication with each other and with the audio source. A group of the audio playback devices are arranged to render audio content provided by the audio source in synchrony. One of the audio playback devices within the group is configured as an audio master which distributes audio content from the audio source to the other audio playback devices within the group, and one of the plurality of audio playback devices, other than the audio master, is configured as a clock master, which distributes clock information that the group of audio playback devices synchronizes to.

Abstract: An audio distribution system includes a first playback device with a first clock time, and a second playback device with a second clock time. A wireless access point is wirelessly coupled to the first and second playback devices. The second playback device sends a time request to the first playback device via the wireless access point. The first playback device responds to the time request by sending a time response to the second playback device via the wireless access point. The second playback device calculates an update to the second clock time based on the time response, a first physical transmission rate between the second playback device and the wireless access point, and a second physical transmission rate between the first playback device and the wireless access point. The second playback device uses the update to the second clock time to playback audio in synchrony with the first playback device.

Abstract: A property vector representing extractable measurable properties, such as musical properties, of a file is mapped to semantic properties for the file. This is achieved by using artificial neural networks “ANNs” in which weights and biases are trained to align a distance dissimilarity measure in property space for pairwise comparative files back towards a corresponding semantic distance dissimilarity measure in semantic space for those same files. The result is that, once optimised, the ANNs can process any file, parsed with those properties, to identify other files sharing common traits reflective of emotional-perception, thereby rendering a more liable and true-to-life result of similarity/dissimilarity. This contrasts with simply training a neural network to consider extractable measurable properties that, in isolation, do not provide a reliable contextual relationship into the real-world.

Abstract: A property vector representing extractable measurable properties, such as musical properties, of a file is mapped to semantic properties for the file. This is achieved by using artificial neural networks “ANNs” in which weights and biases are trained to align a distance dissimilarity measure in property space for pairwise comparative files back towards a corresponding semantic distance dissimilarity measure in semantic space for those same files. The result is that, once optimised, the ANNs can process any file, parsed with those properties, to identify other files sharing common traits reflective of emotional-perception, thereby rendering a more liable and true-to-life result of similarity/dissimilarity. This contrasts with simply training a neural network to consider extractable measurable properties that, in isolation, do not provide a reliable contextual relationship into the real-world.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to generate a workscope. An example apparatus includes a workscope mapper, workscope strategy analyzer, and workscope selector. The workscope strategy analyzer is to evaluate each of the plurality of workscopes using dynamic optimization to determine a maintenance value and benefit to an asset associated with each workscope based on a stage in a remaining life of a constraint at which the evaluation is executed and a state of the asset. The dynamic optimization is to determine a prediction of the maintenance value based on a probability of a future change in state and associated workscope value until the end of life of the constraint. The maintenance value, used to select a workscope from the plurality of workscopes, is to be determined by the dynamic optimization as a sum of the associated workscope values until the end of life of the constraint.

Abstract: Examples of a monolithic phosphor composite for measuring a parameter of an object are disclosed. The composite comprises a thermographic phosphor and a metal oxide material that are dried and calcinated at high temperatures to form a ceramic metal oxide phosphor composite. The ceramic metal oxide phosphor composite is used in an optical device for measuring the parameter of the measuring object. The device comprises a fiber optic probe with a light guide, a light source operatively coupled to the fiber optic probe to provide excitation light into the light guide, a monolithic ceramic metal oxide phosphor composite functionally coupled to a tip of the fiber optic probe, a sensor operatively coupled to the fiber optic probe to detect the emitted light and a processing unit functionally coupled to the sensor to process the emitted light.