Abstract: The invention relates to a scaffold material comprising a plurality of particles of a highly porous polymeric material, characterized in that said scaffold material becomes a shapeable paste once hydrated. The specific features of the particle material impart a special behavior to the scaffold, which can be easily shaped and even highly reversibly compressed, so that in certain aspects it can, if needed, be injected, said capacity to be shaped being maintained over a high range of hydration conditions. A particular aspect of the invention relates, therefore, to the use of such scaffold material for the manufacturing of shapeable body implants, such as breast implants, to the shapeable body implants themselves as well as to non-invasive methods for using thereof in creating or reconstructing a three-dimensional volume in a subject's body part.

Abstract: A turbine housing assembly is disclosed, the assembly including a turbine housing defining a rotational axis for a turbine wheel. The assembly further includes a cartridge that is receivable by the turbine housing, the cartridge including spacer posts and a plate component that includes spacer post openings. The spacer posts may be laser beam welded into the spacer post openings to form laser beam welds as well as define an axial vane clearance between the plate component and a surface of the turbine housing. The turbine housing is further contacted by ends of the spacer posts. Each of the laser beam welds includes a power ramp-up area, an intermediate area and a power ramp-down area, where the power ramp-down area curves away from the power ramp-up area to reduce weld defects.

Abstract: An embodiment of a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and one or more lower dielectric layers on the surface of the substrate. Source, drain, gate, and field plate openings, which are formed in a self-aligned manner, extend through the lower dielectric layer(s) to the substrate. A conformal dielectric layer is disposed over the lower dielectric layer(s) and into the gate and field plate openings. The conformal dielectric layer includes first portions on sidewalls of the gate opening, second portions on sidewalls of the field plate opening, and a third portion on the substrate at a bottom extent of the field plate opening. Gate spacers are formed on the first portions of the conformal dielectric layer. A gate electrode in the gate opening contacts the gate spacers and the semiconductor substrate. A field plate in the field plate opening contacts the second and third portions of the conformal dielectric layer.

Abstract: A bushing includes a first wall section disposed about a channel. The first wall section is formed of a first sintered powdered metal alloy having a first mean sintering temperature in powdered form. A second wall section is disposed adjacent and affixed to the first wall section about the channel. The second wall section is formed of a second sintered powdered metal alloy having a second mean sintering temperature in powdered form that is different than the first mean sintering temperature. The difference between the first and second mean sintering temperatures is about 150° C. or less.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a steerable device for use as e.g. a guidewire for insertion into a subject's body. The device features a single side deflection of a bendable portion located at its distal end by application of a longitudinally-directed force either on an inner pull wire or on the bendable portion. The bendable portion is characterized by the presence of a reinforcement structure on one lateral side and a stress relief portion on the opposed lateral side that, upon actuation of the device, allows single side bending thanks to the physical constriction of the reinforcement structure, limiting the compression of one side of the bendable portion. The disclosure further concerns a system further comprising the steerable device and an actuator, as well as methods for using thereof.

Abstract: A transistor device and method of fabrication are provided, where the transistor device may include a semiconductor substrate, a first dielectric layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second dielectric layer disposed directly on the first dielectric layer, a gate structure disposed directly on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a spacer structure. A first opening through the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer may correspond to a gate channel. Portions of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer may be interposed directly between portions of the gate structure and the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The spacer structure may be disposed in the gate channel and interposed between the gate structure and the semiconductor substrate. The spacer structure may contact respective side surfaces of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer that at least partially define the gate channel.

Abstract: A transistor device and method of fabrication are provided, where the transistor device may include a first dielectric layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second dielectric layer disposed directly on the first dielectric layer, a third dielectric layer disposed on the second dielectric layer, a gate structure disposed directly on the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the gate channel, and a field plate disposed overlapping the gate structure. The gate may be defined via an opening that extends through the first, second, and third dielectric layers. Portions of the first and second dielectric layers may be interposed directly between the gate structure and the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A portion of the field plate may be disposed in a field plate channel at least partially defined via a second opening that extends through the second dielectric layer and the third dielectric layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic device (3) comprising: —an inlet channel (31) having an inlet configured to be operatively connected with a droplet source (2) wherein the inlet channel (31) has a width wi and height hi; and —an outlet channel with at least one outlet channel branch (32) operatively connected with the inlet channel (31) at a passage point (33), said outlet channel (32) having a width wo, wherein the width wo of the at least one outlet channel branch (32) and the height hi and the width wi of the inlet channel (31) satisfy a geometrical condition of formula (I), said z>1.

Abstract: A system for isolating and enumerating cells or particles from a fluid are disclosed. The system includes a microfluidic chip and an impedance chip fluidly connected to the microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip includes a substrate and a microfluidic channel disposed in the substrate between an inlet and an outlet. The microfluidic channel generates a vortex within the at least one expansion region in response to fluid flowing through the microfluidic channel.

Abstract: The invention provides for a device (100) for use in electrical nerve modulation in a subject, characterized in that it comprises a rotational and linear actuator (110); a tubular element (101) having a proximal end connected to the actuator (110) and a distal end; a flexible shaft (102) coaxially disposed within the tubular element (101), comprising a proximal end operably connected to the actuator (110) and a distal end, and adapted to be slid along the tubular element (101); a conformable support (103) comprising a proximal end operably connected to the tubular element's (101) distal end, and a distal end operably connected to the flexible shaft's (102) distal end, having a portion of its length helically wrapped about a distal portion of the flexible shaft (102) so to define a pitch (500) and a radius (400); and a plurality of electrodes (104) operably disposed along the helically configured portion of the conformable support (103), and electrically connectable to a generator (200), adapted to contact the

Abstract: The invention relates to a scaffold material comprising a plurality of particles of a highly porous polymeric material, characterized in that said scaffold material becomes a shapeable paste once hydrated. The specific features of the particle material impart a special behavior to the scaffold, which can be easily shaped and even highly reversibly compressed, so that in certain aspects it can, if needed, be injected, said capacity to be shaped being maintained over a high range of hydration conditions. A particular aspect of the invention relates, therefore, to the use of such scaffold material for the manufacturing of shapeable body implants, such as breast implants, to the shapeable body implants themselves as well as to non-invasive methods for using thereof in creating or reconstructing a three-dimensional volume in a subject's body part.

Abstract: A turbine housing assembly can include a turbine housing that defines a rotational axis for a turbine wheel; and a cartridge receivable by the turbine housing, where the cartridge includes spacer posts and a plate component that includes spacer post openings, where the spacer posts are laser beam welded into the spacer post openings to form laser beam welds to define an axial vane clearance between the plate component and a surface of the turbine housing contacted by ends of the spacer posts, and where each of the laser beam welds includes a power ramp-up area, an intermediate area and a power ramp-down area, where the power ramp-down area curves away from the power ramp-up area to reduce weld defects.

Abstract: A wheel includes a hub portion configured to rotate about a rotational axis. A plurality of blades extends radially outward from the hub portion. Each blade of the plurality of blades includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. The hub portion and the plurality of blades include a substrate metal that includes aluminum or an alloy thereof. The substrate metal of the plurality of blades has coated directly thereon a first coating layer including electroless nickel-phosphorous. The first coating layer has coated directly thereon a second hard coating layer that overlies the leading edges of the plurality of blades and that is formed of a physical vapor deposition-compatible material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with an upper surface and a channel, source and drain electrodes over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer between the source and drain electrodes, a gate electrode between the source and drain electrodes, and a conductive field plate adjacent to the gate electrode. The passivation layer includes a lower passivation sub-layer and an upper passivation sub-layer over the lower passivation sub-layer. The gate electrode includes a lower portion that extends at least partially through the passivation layer. The conductive field plate includes a recessed region that extends through the upper passivation sub-layer but does not extend through the lower passivation sub-layer. The conductive field plate and the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate are separated by a portion of the lower passivation sub-layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with an upper surface and a channel, source and drain electrodes over the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer between the source and drain electrodes, a first dielectric layer over the passivation layer, a gate electrode between the source and drain electrodes, and a conductive field plate adjacent to the gate electrode. The passivation layer includes a lower passivation sub-layer and an upper passivation sub-layer over the lower passivation sub-layer. The gate electrode includes a lower portion that extends through the passivation layer. The conductive field plate includes a first portion with a recessed region that extends through the upper passivation sub-layer but does not extend through the lower passivation sub-layer, and an overhanging portion that extends over an upper surface of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: Protective mask (1) comprising a frame (5) for mounting on a user's face, a window (2) carried by said frame, an optical display system (10) which is capable of projecting an image, and a prism (20) capable of receiving said image from said display and forwarding it, characterised in that the prism (20) has a first (21) and a second (22) active face and a basal face (23), the window having, on its inner face (3), a projection area (30), and said display and said prism are configured so that said display projects said image onto the first active face (21), the image crosses the prism and is reflected by the basal face (23) to the second active face (22), the image is projected from said second active face (22) onto said reflection area (30) of said window (2), and said window projects said image into a user's eye.

Abstract: A turbomachine includes a housing with an e-machine housing. Also, the turbomachine includes a rotating group supported for rotation within the housing. Moreover, the turbomachine includes an e-machine that is configured as at least one of an electric motor and an electric generator, that is operatively coupled to the rotating group, and that includes a stator that is housed within the e-machine housing. Furthermore, the turbomachine includes a thermal bridge member that extends between the stator and the e-machine housing to define a thermal path for heat to transfer from the stator to the e-machine housing. The e-machine housing includes a thermal bridge retainer member that defines an outer boundary of the thermal bridge member.

Abstract: A method of producing a cryogel-based multicompartment 3D scaffold is herein disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: a) providing a first frozen polymeric layer on a refrigerated support kept at subzero temperature; b) providing subsequent polymeric layers to obtain a stack of polymeric layers by possibly modulating the subzero temperature of the refrigerated support; c) optionally incubating the final polymeric structure at subzero temperature; and d) placing the produced cryogel at a temperature above 0° C., wherein each subsequent layer i) is deposited on the previous one after freezing of this latter; ii) is deposited on the previous one before the complete polymerization of this latter; and iii) is deposited with a temperature higher than the freezing temperature of the previously deposited layer. Cryogel scaffolds obtained from said method are also disclosed.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel alloy includes, by weight, about 23.0% to about 25.0% chromium, about 8.5% to about 10.0% nickel, about 4.0% to about 5.0% manganese, about 0.8 to about 0.9% niobium, about 0.5% to about 1.5% silicon, about 0.35% to about 0.45% carbon, about 0.2% to about 0.3% nitrogen, and a balance of iron with inevitable/unavoidable impurities. The elements tungsten and molybdenum are excluded beyond impurity levels. In one example, a turbocharger turbine housing is made of the stainless steel alloy.

Abstract: An abrasive flow machining process for a meridionally divided turbine housing for a turbocharger employs a fixture installed in the axial bore of the housing to force the abrasive medium to flow substantially 360° about the circumference of the volute, and to shield the portion of the divider of the turbine housing volute located proximate the turbine housing inlet.