Abstract: A sediment mixture configured to be used as an abrasive agent is disclosed herein. The sediment mixture includes a plurality of component particles comprising particle shapes selected from the group consisting of: (i) an approximately spherical shape, (ii) an approximately tear-drop shape, (iii) an approximately cylindrical shape, (iv) a truncated ellipsoidal shape, (v) a dog-bone or hour-glass shape, and (vi) combinations thereof.

Abstract: A latch assembly for selectively preventing a relative movement between first and second components of an aircraft cabin monument, including a latch having a first connection member and a striker plate having a second connection member complementary to and selectively engageable with the first connection member. The engaged latch and striker plate in use are subjected to a load having a use threshold value and a decompression threshold value. The striker plate is designed to have a failure load higher than the use threshold value and lower than the decompression threshold value. The latch has a failure load higher than the use threshold value and higher than the decompression threshold value. A method of tailoring a failure of a latch assembly selectively preventing a relative movement between first and second components of an aircraft cabin monument is also discussed.

Abstract: An imaging device may include a patient bore to house a subject to be imaged, wherein the patient bore includes one or more bore tubes. The imaging device may also include a gradient coil surrounding, at least partially, the patient bore and a radio frequency (RF) shield located outside the one or more bore tubes. Additionally, the imaging device may include an RF coil located within at least one of the bore tubes.

Abstract: A system includes a storage tank storing gas. The storage tank includes a storage tank interface portion made from a first material. The system also includes a nozzle that includes a nozzle interface portion and a first portion. The first portion is made from a second material different from the first material. Additionally, the system includes a connection formed by coupling the storage tank interface portion and the nozzle interface portion to one another, and the connection is configured to maintain a leak rate of the gas equal to or less than 1×10?4 standard cubic centimeters per second (std. cc/s).

Abstract: An imaging device may include a patient bore to house a subject to be imaged, wherein the patient bore includes one or more bore tubes. The imaging device may also include a gradient coil surrounding, at least partially, the patient bore and a radio frequency (RF) shield located outside the one or more bore tubes. Additionally, the imaging device may include an RF coil located within at least one of the bore tubes.

Abstract: A pump for a fluid which can be blood has a stator housing and a rotor hub with leading and trailing portions and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. At least one impeller blade at the leading portion drives circumferential and axial components of a flow into a pump annulus or intermediate pathway portion. At least one stator blade extends radially inward from the stator housing within the intermediate pathway portion and is configured to reduce a circumferential component of the flow.

Abstract: A system includes a storage tank storing gas. The storage tank includes a storage tank interface portion made from a first material. The system also includes a nozzle that includes a nozzle interface portion and a first portion. The first portion is made from a second material different from the first material. Additionally, the system includes a connection formed by coupling the storage tank interface portion and the nozzle interface portion to one another, and the connection is configured to maintain a leak rate of the gas equal to or less than 1×10?4 standard cubic centimeters per second (std. cc/s).

Abstract: A pump for a fluid which can be blood has a stator housing and a rotor hub with leading and trailing portions and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. At least one impeller blade at the leading portion drives circumferential and axial components of a flow into a pump annulus or intermediate pathway portion. At least one stator blade extends radially inward from the stator housing within the intermediate pathway portion and is configured to reduce a circumferential component of the flow.

Abstract: A pump for a fluid which can be blood has a stator housing and a rotor hub with leading and trailing portions and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. At least one impeller blade at the leading portion drives circumferential and axial components of a flow into a pump annulus or intermediate pathway portion. At least one stator blade extends radially inward from the stator housing within the intermediate pathway portion and is configured to reduce a circumferential component of the flow.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a healthcare collaboration system and methods are provided to enable physicians and other participants in the healthcare system to efficiently collaborate with one another by engaging in system-facilitated consultations. As used herein, a consultation may generally refer to communications established between two or more users of the healthcare collaboration system. In general, the system and methods described herein provide the ability for users to establish consultations with other users at a mutually convenient time, whether or not there exists a prior relationship between the users. In exchange for time spent conducting consultations, users may be compensated using any number of compensation methods.

Abstract: A pump for a fluid which can be blood has a stator housing and a rotor hub with leading and trailing portions and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. At least one impeller blade at the leading portion drives circumferential and axial components of a flow into a pump annulus or intermediate pathway portion. At least one stator blade extends radially inward from the stator housing within the intermediate pathway portion and is configured to reduce a circumferential component of the flow.

Abstract: A magnetically levitated transportation system employs permanent magnet rails along a guideway that interact with permanent magnets on a vehicle. The rails are optimized to reduce magnetic mass and cost of materials, while maximizing lift force. The vehicle is stabilized in the lateral and yaw directions with feedback controlled lateral control coils that interact with the permanent magnet rails on the guideway. A track switching structure employs permanent magnet rails that gradually widen along a segment of track and separate into two identical diverging rails. Feedback controlled lateral control coils in a moving vehicle stabilize that vehicle over one or the other pairs of diverging rails, as directed by a control computer, thereby causing the vehicle to continue along one path or the other, with no moving or active elements required in the track.

Abstract: A portable gas fractionalization system with built-in administrative and self-diagnostic functions is provided. The system includes a multiple mode programmable controller which has a operations mode and a diagnostic mode that can be activated by a triggering event. The triggering event can be when a user enters a command input, when one or more process parameters deviate from a nominal value, or when the system is scheduled to perform self-diagnostics. The system also includes a multi-level user interface which is integrally formed with the system. The user interface includes a multi-level display screen and a plurality of user command functions. The diagnostic information displayed on the display screen can be in an abbreviated code form so that only technicians would be able to interpret meaning of the code.

Abstract: A magnetically levitated transportation system employs permanent magnet rails along a guideway that interact with permanent magnets on a vehicle. The rails are optimized to reduce magnetic mass and cost of materials, while maximizing lift force. The vehicle is stabilized in the lateral and yaw directions with feedback controlled lateral control coils that interact with the permanent magnet rails on the guideway. A track switching structure employs permanent magnet rails that gradually widen along a segment of track and separate into two identical diverging rails. Feedback controlled lateral control coils in a moving vehicle stabilize that vehicle over one or the other pairs of diverging rails, as directed by a control computer, thereby causing the vehicle to continue along one path or the other, with no moving or active elements required in the track.

Abstract: A facility is disposed in a telecommunications network to provide an alternative to retrying the placing of a call to a telephone station when a busy signal is encountered. More particularly, if a subscriber places a telephone call to a called station set that is busy with another telephone call, then the facility notes that fact and terminates the subscriber's telephone call. Thereafter, the facility places a telephone call to the called station and, when the call is answered, announces at least the calling subscriber's telephone number and allows the called party to optionally extend the call back to the original calling subscriber. If the call is not answered, then the call back is terminated, and the placement of another call to the called station is rescheduled for a subsequent time.