Abstract: The present disclosure relates to polymer compositions, articles formed from polymer compositions, methods of making polymer compositions, and methods of making articles including polymer compositions. In at least one embodiment, a composition includes: (1) an ethylene polymer, (2) a vinyl alcohol polymer or a polyamide, and (3) a polar polymer or a grafted polyolefin. A composition of the present disclosure may further include a polypropylene polymer. A polar polymer may be an ethylene-acrylic-acid-copolymer, ethylene acrylate copolymer, a polyvinyl acetate, or combination(s) thereof. In at least one embodiment, a film includes a composition having: (1) an ethylene polymer, (2) a vinyl alcohol polymer or a polyamide, and (3) a polar polymer or a grafted polyolefin.

Abstract: A blast hole liner is provided having an outer sleeve and an elongate tubing located within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve is provided with an open first end thereby forming an internal space, adapted to hold an explosive composition. The outer sleeve also has at least one compartment 5 formed in a second end. The elongate tubing is adapted to allow for the entry of compressed air to inflate the elongate tubing and thereby ensure straightening or untwisting of the outer sleeve.

Abstract: A skin care computing device that includes a user interface, a camera, a speaker, a communication interface, and a personal care assistant application. The personal care assistant application can identify personal care products being used by a user and product use event data describing the use of a personal care product by the user, such as the date and time of the use, the duration and frequency of the use, and the manner in which the personal care product is being used. Then the personal care assistant application generates user feedback information for the personal care product based on the product use event data, previous instances of product use event data, and/or user profile data for the user.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and techniques receiving a request for information from a user and, in response, outputting the requested information along with unsolicited, interesting content that is related to, yet nonresponsive to, the requested information. In some instances, if the requested information is unknown, the techniques may output an indication that the information is unknown, followed by the additional, unsolicited, interesting content.

Abstract: A method and system of deployment of a virtualized service on a cloud infrastructure are described. A first service function specification of a first service function is selected. A determination of a set of the computing systems and a set of the links is performed based on availability and characteristics of the computing systems and the network resources in the cloud infrastructure. A selection of a first computing system to be assigned to host the first service function and links is performed based on the first service function specification. In response to determining that there is one or more of the service functions that are not yet assigned, the selection of a service function and the determination of a computing system and links are repeated for each of the remaining functions until all of the service functions are assigned to computing and networking resources in the cloud infrastructure.

Abstract: A method and system of deployment of a virtualized service on a cloud infrastructure while taking into consideration variability/elasticity of the cloud resources are described. A first service function specification is selected. Candidate computing systems and candidate links are determined. The determination of the candidates is performed based on the availability and characteristics of the computing systems and the network resources in the cloud infrastructure which includes varying characteristics. A first computing system and one or more links are determined from the candidates for placing the first service function in the cloud infrastructure.

Abstract: A transport assembly with an upper part including a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve extending along a sleeve axis between a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the plurality of sleeves are arranged with their respective axes in parallel to one another, and a lower part including a plate with a plurality of apertures that each extend through the plate. The upper part and the lower part can be coupled such that each bottom opening is arranged adjacent to one of the plurality of apertures, and the upper part and the lower part can be moved relative to one another between a closed configuration in which a perimeter of each bottom opening intersects a perimeter of a corresponding aperture at two or more points, and an open configuration in which the perimeter of each bottom opening is aligned with or is enclosed by the perimeter of a corresponding aperture.

Abstract: A transport assembly with a box portion including a box surface, a box front, a box back, and a pair of box sides, wherein the front, back, and sides each extend from the box surface, wherein a gap extends between the front and each of the sides; and a drawer portion including a drawer surface, a drawer front, and a pair of drawer sides, wherein the drawer front and drawer sides each extend from the drawer surface, the drawer surface and drawer sides define an open back portion that faces the drawer front, a gap extends between the drawer front and each of the drawer sides, and the box portion and drawer portion can be arranged such that an inner surface of the drawer front faces an outer surface of the box front and an inner surface of each box side faces an outer surface of a corresponding drawer side.

Abstract: A wirelessly enabled mirror includes a mirror, a wireless data system, and a data output interface. The mirror has a front side and a back side. The wireless data system includes a wireless data module. The wireless data system is fixed to the back side of the mirror. The wireless data module is configured to communicate with a user device and to receive wireless data from the user device. The data output interface is configured to receive data from the wireless data module, and the data is derived from a wireless stream of data.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for processing graphics in a tile-based graphics processing system, wherein when preparing primitive lists it is determined, based on a measure of the size of a primitive, whether or not to perform processing of one or more attributes of one or more vertices of the primitive.

Abstract: A system in which players participate as characters in a virtual game world via game clients executing on client devices. An observer mode is provided that enables users to navigate in the game world without requiring a game client so that a user can navigate the game world while not actively playing the game. When a user accesses the game in observer mode, a view of the game world is rendered from the viewpoint of an observer's character; the observer's character may not correspond to a character in the game and the observer's character may not be visible to the players in the game. The rendered view of the game world is streamed to a viewing application on a personal device. Navigation inputs allow the observer's character to move freely within the game world.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for processing graphics in a tile-based graphics processing system, wherein when preparing primitive lists it is determined, based on a measure of the size of a primitive, whether or not to perform processing of one or more attributes of one or more vertices of the primitive.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for conducting online video gaming tournaments and contests. The invention is directed to a plurality of networked gaming devices, a plurality of gaming servers, a plurality of contestant digital accounts, a plurality of database servers and memory storing readable instructions to execute a method for operating a system and of conducting online video game tournaments and matches includes the steps of providing contestants, collecting a required entry fee from contestant digital accounts, organizing players into a match, beginning the match, collecting statistics from a match, reviewing statistics from the match and tallying game metrics such as opponents eliminated or assist count, ranking contestants according to tallied game metrics, and paying out contestants according to tallied game metrics.

Abstract: A policy-based printing system is implemented to allow access to a private domain to print using a public domain. The private domain includes private servers that store documents. The public domain includes servers and a printing device. A public policy server uses a domain list and a protocol connection with a private authentication server to validate a user and identify which private domain to access. The public policy server retrieves a policy from a private policy server that configures the parameters for printing using the public domain. The print job data is provided to a public file server until the public policy server confirms that the print job can be sent to the printing device.

Abstract: A real-time video exploration (RVE) system that allows users to pause, step into, move through, and explore 2D or 3D modeled worlds of scenes in a video. The RVE system may allow users to discover, select, explore, and manipulate objects within the modeled worlds used to generate video content. The RVE system may implement methods that allow users to view and explore in more detail the features, components, and/or accessories of selected objects that are being manipulated and explored. The RVE system may also implement methods that allow users to interact with interfaces of selected objects or interfaces of components of selected objects.

Abstract: Transcatheter aortic valve prostheses for improving the cardiac function of a patient suffering from coronary artery disease. Transcatheter aortic valve prostheses include a valve component and a frame. The valve component includes valve leaflets and a skirt. The frame includes access cells that improve access to a patient's coronary arteries if further intervention is required and/or includes a window or conduction protection cell that is oriented to align with a portion of conduction system of the heart in situ to reduce conduction disturbances of the anatomy. Suture patterns for attaching a commissure to a commissure post of the frame, and for attaching a tissue bumper to the commissure post, are also described.

Abstract: A modular heat exchanger for battery thermal management having a plurality of similarly constructed heat exchange elements affixed to a cover plate and fluidly coupled with one another via a single external manifold structure that functions as both an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold for each of the heat exchange elements. Rigidity is improved with alternating tabs or overlapping tabs between adjacent elements, and/or side edges between adjacent elements having cutouts for receiving stiffening ribs formed in the cover plate. The external manifold structure provides additional stiffening for the interconnected heat exchange elements.

Abstract: A cloud-based server and a port monitor on a device provide authentication of a user to access print jobs on the server. An application may print or perform other operations from the cloud-based server to a printing device. The port monitor uploads data for a document to the cloud-based server. Once the data for the document is uploaded, a claim code is generated by the cloud-based server. The port monitor receives the claim code. The port monitor initiates the launch of a browser having a uniform resource locator (URL) address for the server along with the claim code. The user is authenticated using a login page and the claim code associated to the user to allow access to the document on the server.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and techniques receiving a request for information from a user and, in response, outputting the requested information along with unsolicited, interesting content that is related to, yet nonresponsive to, the requested information. In some instances, if the requested information is unknown, the techniques may output an indication that the information is unknown, followed by the additional, unsolicited, interesting content.