Abstract: A system for surveying a surface (2) to measure a physical or chemical property associated with the surface. The system includes a handheld probe (4) measuring a physical or chemical property at locations over a surface (2). The video camera (12) captures video data of a user (6) using the handheld probe (4) to survey the surface. The depth sensing device (14) measures the distance to the handheld probe (4). Processing circuitry identifies the handheld probe from the video data and determines the position of the handheld probe (4) relative to the surface (2). A data recorder and/or a data transmitter records and/or transmits data representative of the physical or chemical property measured by the handheld probe (4) and data representative of the associated position of the handheld probe, when the handheld probe (4) is determined to be less than a threshold distance from the surface (2) being surveyed.

Abstract: An optical fiber production system includes an annealing furnace having a furnace inlet, a furnace outlet, and a process tube extending between the furnace inlet and the furnace outlet, the process tube having a process tube wall and a heating zone including at least one heating element. The optical fiber production system also includes a gas distribution assembly fluidly coupled to the furnace outlet and structurally configured to induce gas flow from the gas distribution assembly into the process tube such that gas flows within the process tube in an upflow direction.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to characteristics and parameters of color coatings on keratin fibers. The color coatings are produced from compositions of several kinds of polymers that enable the color coatings to exhibit adherence, remanence, wear fastness and resistance to environmental attack.

Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for sputtering a TCO material onto a substrate includes process conditions that produce a textured topography at the interfaces of various layers. The textured topography can include an average roughness from about 5 to about 40 nm. The process conditions can include providing oxygen in the sputtering environment at a flow rate of from 0 to about 30 sccm; or heating the substrate to at least 200; or increasing the magnetic field strength to above 40 mT. The textured topography creates interfacial transition areas which have hybrid physical properties compared to their constituent materials.

Abstract: A method of self-training WaveNet includes receiving a plurality of recorded speech samples and training a first autoregressive neural network using the plurality of recorded speech samples. The trained first autoregressive neural network is configured to output synthetic speech as an audible representations of a text input. The method further includes generating a plurality of synthetic speech samples using the trained first autoregressive neural network. The method additionally includes training a second autoregressive neural network using the plurality of synthetic speech samples from the trained first autoregressive neural network and distilling the trained second autoregressive neural network into a feedforward neural network.

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of and system for processing an optical fiber. The method includes the steps of drawing an optical fiber in a drawing direction along a process pathway through a coating chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet, and a coating liquid volume to coat the optical fiber; supplying the coating liquid through the inlet, the coating liquid exiting the coating chamber through the outlet; and recirculating to coating liquid exiting the coating chamber to the inlet.

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.

Abstract: A mitochondrial-targeted PARP inhibitor is provided herein, as well as methods of making and using the mitochondrial-targeted PARP inhibitor.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition and methods for using the pharmaceutical composition are disclosed. The pharmaceutical composition may include a therapeutically effective amount of one or more antiviral active pharmaceutical ingredients and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The pharmaceutical composition may be a solid dosage form, wherein the solid dosage form provides sustained release of the antiviral active pharmaceutical ingredient when administered as a vaginal or rectal insert.

Abstract: An optical fiber forming apparatus comprises: a draw furnace comprising: (i) a muffle with an inner surface, (ii) an axial opening below the muffle, the inner surface of the muffle defining a passageway extending through the axial opening, and (iii) an upper inlet into the passageway; and a tube that extends into the passageway of the draw furnace above the axial opening, the tube having (i) an outer surface and the inner surface of the muffle surrounds the outer surface of the tube with a space separating the outer surface of the tube from the inner surface of the muffle, (ii) an inner surface that defines a second passageway extending through the tube, (iii) an inlet into the second passageway of the tube, (iii) an outlet out of the second passageway of the tube.

Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.

Abstract: A method is provided for area-selective deposition on a semiconductor workpiece using an integrated sequence of processing steps executed on a common manufacturing platform hosting film-forming modules, etching modules, and transfer modules. A workpiece having a target surface of a first material an non-target surface of a second material different than the first material is received into the platform. An additive material is selectively deposited on the workpiece with the additive material forming on the target surface at a higher deposition rate than on the non-target surface, followed by etching to expose the non-target surface. The integrated sequence of processing steps is executed within the platform without leaving the controlled environment and the transfer modules are used to transfer the workpiece between the processing modules while maintaining the workpiece within the controlled environment.

Abstract: A stabilizer system includes first and second base members each forming a passage; first and second rod members; each passage being sized for receipt of a corresponding one of the first and second rod members; each of the first and second base members forming a T-shaped receptacle; first and second barrel fasteners; each T-shaped receptacle being sized for selective engaged receipt of a corresponding one of the first and second barrel fasteners for securing the base members to corresponding ones of the first and second support legs of a target gameboard; first and second spike members each having a threaded tip; and each of the first and second rod members forming a threaded cavity that is sized for engaged receipt of the threaded tip of a respective one of the first and second spike members, wherein a second end of the spike member is sized for engaging the ground surface.

Abstract: A system for processing semiconductor wafers, the system including: a processing chamber; a heat source; a substrate holder configured to expose a semiconductor wafer to the heat source; a first electrode configured to be detachably coupled to a first major surface of a semiconductor wafer; and a second electrode coupled to the substrate holder, the first electrode and the second electrode together configured to apply an electric field in the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method for filling recessed features with a low-resistivity metal. The method includes providing a patterned substrate containing a recessed feature formed in a first layer and a second layer that is exposed in the recessed feature, and pre-treating the substrate with a surface modifier that increases metal deposition selectivity on the second layer relative to on the first layer, depositing a metal layer on the substrate by vapor phase deposition, where the metal layer is preferentially deposited on the second layer in the recessed feature, and removing metal nuclei deposited on the first layer, including on a field area and on sidewalls of the first layer in the recessed feature, to selectively form the metal layer on the second layer in the recessed feature. The steps of pre-treating, depositing and removing may be repeated at least once to increase a thickness of the metal layer in the recessed feature.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a skylight assembly for an enclosure having an enclosure panel with an opening. The skylight assembly includes a lens, a gasket, and a nut. The lens includes an annular lens flange and a lens stem extending axially away from the annular lens flange. The gasket is receivable around the threaded lens stem and is adapted to be seated on the lens flange. The nut includes an annular nut flange and nut stem extending axially away from the nut flange. The nut stem is configured to engage the lens stem to secure the skylight assembly to the enclosure panel and compress the gasket against the enclosure panel.

Abstract: Optical fibers having low fictive temperature and methods of making such fibers are described. Management of the cooling rate of an optical fiber during fiber draw permits control over the fictive temperature of the fiber. Non-monotonic cooling rates are shown to promote reductions in fiber fictive temperature. The non-monotonic cooling includes slower cooling rates in upstream portions of the process pathway and faster cooling rates in downstream portions of the process pathway. Reduction in fiber fictive temperature is achieved by controlling the ambient temperature of the fiber to slow the cooling rate of the fiber in upstream portions of the process pathway that correspond to the fiber temperature regime in which the fiber viscosity is sufficiently low to permit efficient structural relaxation. Increases in cooling rate in downstream portions of the process pathway permit adjustment of fiber temperature as needed to meet entrance temperature requirements of downstream processing units.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for using a high volume manufacturing system for processing and measuring workpieces in a semiconductor processing sequence without leaving the system's controlled environment (e.g., sub-atmospheric pressure). The system includes an active interdiction control system to implement corrective processing within the system when a non-conformity is detected. The corrective processing method can include a remedial process sequence to correct the non-conformity or compensate for the non-conformity during subsequent process. The non-conformity may be associated with fabrication measurement data, process parameter data, and/or platform performance data.

Abstract: Printing devices include a printing engine and a media tray connected to a frame. The media tray is adapted to hold a stack of media supplied to the printing engine for printing. A magnetic trailing edge guide that is shaped to contact a corner of the stack of media is connected to a tether that is connected to the frame. A storage device is connected to the frame, and the storage device is shaped to accommodate the magnetic trailing edge guide. The length of the tether allows the magnetic trailing edge guide to reach the corner of the stack of media and to reach the storage device. The magnetic trailing edge guide includes a magnetic element adapted to magnetically hold to at least the media tray and the storage device.