Abstract: A fillable base for a portable light stand, the base including: a hollow structure made from moulded plastics material, the hollow structure having an upper portion and a lower portion with a generally circular footprint. The lower portion of the hollow structure has a substantially vertical cylindrical outer side wall, and the upper portion of the hollow structure has a conical outer side wall. The conical outer side wall has an outer edge extending from a top edge of the cylindrical side wall to an apex of the upper portion of the structure. The structure also has a recess that opens at the apex and within which one end of an elongate pole can be received.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media that manage cloud computing environments. A pool manager creates a pool of cloud computing environments according to a pool specification specifying a headroom threshold of the pool. The pool manager receives, from a requester computer, a request to claim a cloud computing environment. The pool manager determines that one or more cloud computing environments are available. In response, the pool manager provides to the requesting computer credentials for accessing the cloud computing environment. The pool manager designates the cloud computing environment as claimed and unavailable to other requester computers until receiving a notification indicating that the cloud computing environment is unclaimed. The pool manager ensures that the correct number of environments are available on a pre-determined schedule.

Abstract: A fining package for a glass composition may include a sulfate or a sulfide in an amount from about 0.001 to about 1 mol % of the glass composition. The fining package may include a multivalent compound, such as CeO2, SnO2, or Fe2O3, in an amount from about 0.001 to about 1 mol % of the glass composition. The fining package may be sulfide-free. The fining package may be free from a reducing agent for reducing sulfate to sulfide. The fining package may be free of at least one of Cl, F, Sn, Ce, and As. The glass composition may be used to form glass tubing. The glass tubing may be used to form a pharmaceutical packaging.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media that manage cloud computing environments. A pool manager creates a pool of cloud computing environments according to a pool specification specifying a headroom threshold of the pool. The pool manager receives, from a requester computer, a request to claim a cloud computing environment. The pool manager determines that one or more cloud computing environments are available. In response, the pool manager provides to the requesting computer credentials for accessing the cloud computing environment. The pool manager designates the cloud computing environment as claimed and unavailable to other requester computers until receiving a notification indicating that the cloud computing environment is unclaimed. The pool manager ensures that the correct number of environments are available on a pre-determined schedule.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media that manage cloud computing environments. A pool manager creates a pool of cloud computing environments according to a pool specification specifying a headroom threshold of the pool. The pool manager receives, from a requester computer, a request to claim a cloud computing environment. The pool manager determines that one or more cloud computing environments are available. In response, the pool manager provides to the requesting computer credentials for accessing the cloud computing environment. The pool manager designates the cloud computing environment as claimed and unavailable to other requester computers until receiving a notification indicating that the cloud computing environment is unclaimed. The pool manager ensures that the correct number of environments are available on a pre-determined schedule.

Abstract: A fillable base for a portable light stand, the base including: a hollow structure made from moulded plastics material, the hollow structure having an upper portion and a lower portion with a generally circular footprint. The lower portion of the hollow structure has a substantially vertical cylindrical outer side wall, and the upper portion of the hollow structure has a conical outer side wall. The conical outer side wall has an outer edge extending from a top edge of the cylindrical side wall to an apex of the upper portion of the structure. The structure also has a recess that opens at the apex and within which one end of an elongate pole can be received.

Abstract: A fillable base for a portable light stand, the base including: a hollow structure made from moulded plastics material, the hollow structure having an upper portion and a lower portion with a generally circular footprint. The lower portion of the hollow structure has a substantially vertical cylindrical outer side wall, and the upper portion of the hollow structure has a conical outer side wall. The conical outer side wall has an outer edge extending from a top edge of the cylindrical side wall to an apex of the upper portion of the structure. The structure also has a recess that opens at the apex and within which one end of an elongate pole can be received.

Abstract: A panel is disclosed for use in construction. The panel comprises opposing surfaces that extend between first and second opposite ends. The panel also comprises a plurality of parallel (e.g. sawtooth) ridges. The ridges are provided on at least one of the opposing surfaces. The ridges extend along and adjacent to a first of the opposite ends of the panel for at least a part length thereof. The ridges are arranged to engage with and move past corresponding ridges of an adjacent panel when the panels move relative to each other in opposite directions. The ridges are further arranged so as to interfere with the ridges of the adjacent panel to resist relative movement in a reverse of the opposite direction.

Abstract: A fillable base for a portable light stand, the base including: a hollow structure made from moulded plastics material, the hollow structure having an upper portion and a lower portion with a generally circular footprint. The lower portion of the hollow structure has a substantially vertical cylindrical outer side wall, and the upper portion of the hollow structure has a conical outer side wall. The conical outer side wall has an outer edge extending from a top edge of the cylindrical side wall to an apex of the upper portion of the structure. The structure also has a recess that opens at the apex and within which one end of an elongate pole can be received.

Abstract: A method for forming a structure includes providing a glass or glass ceramic tubular structure (110) having an interior (150) and exterior surface (160) and at least a partially closed end region (140); heating the glass or glass ceramic tubular structure (110) to at least its softening point by: providing a laser beam; directing the laser beam (130) down the interior surface of the glass or glass ceramic tubular structure (110), at least some of the laser beam (130) directed at an angle greater than a predetermined incidence angle; and the laser beam (130) impinging on the closed end region (140) where at least some of the laser beam (130) is absorbed by the closed end region (140) of the glass or glass ceramic tubular structure; and moving at least one of: the glass or glass ceramic tubular structure or the end region relative to each other to form at least a two-dimensional shape from the glass or glass ceramic tubular structure.

Abstract: A method of printing a 3D object includes feeding one or more preformed materials from a feed outlet into a build zone in which a hot spot is located and using the hot spot to selectively heat the one or more preformed materials to a viscous state. Object layers are formed by depositing portions of the preformed materials on a build surface, or on another object layer on the build surface, while effecting relative motion between the build surface and the feed outlet.

Abstract: There is provided a non-PCR based method for construction of a DNA recombination fragment with necessary flanking regions homologous to a desired site of genetic manipulation within a target DNA required for recombination-based manipulation of said target DNA, comprising the steps of: A) identifying a desired site of insertion for a genetic element in said target DNA; B) locating an endogenous, native, half-site of a selected restriction endonuclease present upstream of the site within the DNA to be targeted for genetic manipulation and thereby defining the 5? extent of an upstream homology region; C) locating an endogenous, native, half-site of the same selected restriction endonuclease present downstream of the site within the DNA to be targeted for genetic manipulation and thereby defining the 3? extent of a downstream homology region; D) synthesising a flanking region cassette resulting in juxtapositioning of the upstream and downstream half-sites thereby causing formation of complete restriction site for

Abstract: A tool for removing a runner from an agricultural bin having a lever arm and a plurality of crossbars. The lever arm may be directly, or indirectly, engaged with a rotatable crossbar which may have a plurality of protrusions for engaging corresponding tabs of a runner. To use the tool, a user may align the protrusions of the rotatable crossbar with the corresponding tabs of a runner engaged within a leg of an agricultural bin, then the user may press down on the lever arm, causing the crossbar to rotate and engage the tabs. As the user continues to press down on the lever arm, the tabs eventually disengage from corresponding openings in the leg of the agricultural bin, allowing the user to remove the runner from the bin.

Abstract: A panel (6) is disclosed for use in construction. The panel (6) comprises opposing surfaces (6A, 6B) that extend between first and second opposite ends (7A, 7B). The panel (6) also comprises a plurality of parallel (e.g. sawtooth) ridges (7). The ridges (7) are provided on at least one of the opposing surfaces (6A and/or 6B). The ridges (7) extend along and adjacent to a first of the opposite ends (7A or 7B) of the panel for at least a part length thereof. The ridges (7) are arranged to engage with and move past corresponding ridges of an adjacent panel (6) when the panels move relative to each other in opposite directions. The ridges (7) are further arranged so as to interfere with the ridges of the adjacent panel to resist relative movement in a reverse of the opposite direction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling or disabling a DMS device during an IDA method. Each cycle of the method includes a survey scan step, producing a precursor ion mass spectrum, and an MS/MS scan step. During the MS/MS scan step, one or more user-defined MS/MS scans are performed that correspond to compounds of interest found in the precursor ion mass spectrum. With each user-defined MS/MS scan, a DMS enable parameter that determines if the DMS device is enabled or disabled and one or more DMS parameters necessary to enable the DMS device for the corresponding compound of interest are received. During the MS/MS scan step, for each user-defined MS/MS scan, the DMS device is enabled or disabled according to the DMS enable parameter and one or more parameters of the DMS device are set according to the one or more DMS parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for adding thermal energy to a glass melt. Apparatuses for generating a thermal plasma disclosed herein comprise an electrode, a grounded electrode, a dielectric plasma confinement vessel extending between the two electrodes, and a magnetic field generator extending around the dielectric plasma confinement vessel. Also disclosed herein are methods for fining molten glass comprising generating a thermal plasma using the apparatuses disclosed herein and contacting the molten glass with the thermal plasma. Glass structures produced according to these methods are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling or disabling a DMS device during an IDA method. Each cycle of the method includes a survey scan step, producing a precursor ion mass spectrum, and an MS/MS scan step. During the MS/MS scan step, one or more user-defined MS/MS scans are performed that correspond to compounds of interest found in the precursor ion mass spectrum. With each user-defined MS/MS scan, a DMS enable parameter that determines if the DMS device is enabled or disabled and one or more DMS parameters necessary to enable the DMS device for the corresponding compound of interest are received. During the MS/MS scan step, for each user-defined MS/MS scan, the DMS device is enabled or disabled according to the DMS enable parameter and one or more parameters of the DMS device are set according to the one or more DMS parameters.

Abstract: A method of printing a 3D object includes feeding one or more preformed materials from a feed outlet into a build zone in which a hot spot is located and using the hot spot to selectively heat the one or more preformed materials to a viscous state. Object layers are formed by depositing portions of the preformed materials on a build surface, or on another object layer on the build surface, while effecting relative motion between the build surface and the feed outlet.

Abstract: A rapid screening process is provided for identification of bacterial resistance to antibiotics by utilizing LC-MS/MS to quantitate concentrations of parent drugs and also detect hydrolysis products which result from beta-lactamase activity. The susceptibility testing is accomplished in time periods as short as 90 minutes, which includes incubation of bacteria with antibiotics and LC-MS/MS analysis. The antibiotics can be multiplexed for incubation with bacteria to minimize analysis time. 23 different strains of E. coli have been evaluated by this method including ATCC reference (3) as well as clinical isolates (20) and achieved complete concordance with traditional methods. To date the following antibiotics have been tested: penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, and cefotaxime. All incubations are conducted in the absence and presence of tazobactam which acts as a control.