Abstract: A surgical instrument, has an end effector that includes an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm that moves relative to the ultrasonic blade from an opened position toward an intermediate position and a closed position. The clamp arm is offset from the ultrasonic blade to define a predetermined gap in the intermediate position between the opened position and the closed position. A clamp arm actuator connects to the clamp arm and moves from an opened configuration to a closed configuration to direct the clamp arm from the opened position toward the intermediate position and the closed position. A spacer connects with the clamp arm to inhibit movement of the clamp arm from the intermediate position toward the closed position for maintaining the predetermined gap between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: A method of preparing a metatarsophalangeal joint for fusion may involve surgically accessing the metatarsophalangeal joint and separating the metatarsal from the opposed proximal phalanx at the joint. The technique may involve preparing an end of the metatarsal and preparing an end of the opposed proximal phalanx for fusion. With or without the aid of a bone positioner, the metatarsal may be moved in one or more planes, such as the frontal and transverse planes. The proximal phalanx may also be moved in one or more planes, for example relative to the moved metatarsal. Subsequently, a bone fixation device can be applied across or through the metatarsophalangeal joint separating the metatarsal from the opposed proximal phalanx.

Abstract: A method of removing nutrients and/or toxic substances from water by placing an open-cell foam material together with a biochar material into the water, leaving the foam and biochar materials in the water for sufficient time to adsorb/absorb at least some of excess nutrients and/or toxic substances present in the water, and then removing from the water the open-cell foam material together with the biochar material.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method may use one or more Representational State Transfer (REST) Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to receive data associated with a web application from a first user interface (UI) client device. The method may use the one or more REST APIs to determine a stateless operation by performing stateless pre-processing on the data associated with the web application and one or more contextual features associated with the stateless operation. The method may determine an augmented notification by applying an augmentation operation on the one or more contextual features and the stateless operation. The method may determine a stateful operation using the augmented notification. The method may receive a request for an update on the data associated with the web application from a second UI client device. In response to receiving the request, the method may communicate the stateful operation to the second UI client device.

Abstract: Implantable devices may include a single, first component or a plurality of components such as first and second components, the second component being flexibly coupled to the first component. A socket extends over one or more of the component(s), the socket being configured to enhance the inter-component interaction and/or including one or more exposed surface(s) configured to exhibit one or more tiers of foreign body responses within a range of possible foreign body responses.

Abstract: A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments disclosed herein, a coated pharmaceutical package may comprise a glass container comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface is an outer surface of the glass container, and wherein the glass container in an uncoated state has an average light transmittance in the UVB and UVC spectrum of at least 50% through a single wall of the coated package. The coated pharmaceutical package may further comprise a coating positioned over at least a portion of the first surface of the glass container, wherein the coated pharmaceutical package has an average light transmittance in the UVC spectrum of less than 50% through a single wall of the coated package.

Abstract: Method and system are designed for storing and/or transporting temperature-sensitive materials. The system is designed to keep a payload within a desired temperature range of +2° C. to +8° C. for an extended time in a warm ambient environment. The system includes a thermally insulated container and first and second phase-change materials, each of the phase-change materials having a different solid/liquid phase-change temperature. Both phase-change materials are preconditioned to a solid state for pack-out. The first phase-change material has a solid/liquid phase-change temperature that is within the desired temperature range and that is at or below a hibernation temperature of about +5° C. to +6° C. The second phase-change material has a solid/liquid phase-change temperature that is above the hibernation temperature.

Abstract: A system for calculating a Grüneisen parameter of a target tissue is disclosed. The system comprises a first light source configured to emit a first light signal to the target tissue, thereby generating an acoustic signal in the target tissue. The system further comprises a second light source configured to emit a second light signal to the target tissue, which interacts with the acoustic signal, (e.g., in the manner of Brillouin scattering) to generate a backscattered light signal. The system further comprise a light sensor configured to detect the backscattered light signal and a processor configured to receive the backscattered light signal from the light sensor and calculate the Grüneisen parameter of the target tissue based on the backscattered response signal.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for converting at least one polyphenol to protocatechuic acid (PCA) using Bacillus subtilis 1579, or active variants thereof, are provided. Conversion of polyphenols, such as quercetin, to PCA can decrease inflammation, decrease cortisol levels, and increase milk quality and milk production quantity in milk-producing agricultural animals. Accordingly, provided herein are compositions comprising B. subtilis 1579, or an active variant thereof, for administration to humans for decreasing inflammation or for administration to milk-producing agricultural animals for decreasing inflammation, decreasing cortisol levels, and increasing milk quality and milk production.

Abstract: An introduced autonomous aerial vehicle can include multiple cameras for capturing images of a surrounding physical environment that are utilized for motion planning by an autonomous navigation system. In some embodiments, the cameras can be integrated into one or more rotor assemblies that house powered rotors to free up space within the body of the aerial vehicle. In an example embodiment, an aerial vehicle includes multiple upward-facing cameras and multiple downward-facing cameras with overlapping fields of view to enable stereoscopic computer vision in a plurality of directions around the aerial vehicle. Similar camera arrangements can also be implemented in fixed-wing aerial vehicles.

Abstract: Logged data from an autonomous vehicle is processed to generate augmented data. The augmented data describes an actor in an environment of the autonomous vehicle, the actor having an associated actor type and an actor motion behavior characteristic. The augmented data may be varied to create different sets of augmented data. The sets of augmented data can be used to create one or more simulation scenarios that in turn are used to produce machine learning models to control the operation of autonomous vehicles.

Abstract: An illustrative method includes a scanning driver providing an interface between data included in a data structure located within a compute environment and one or more scan modules included in an unprivileged agentless workload scanning configuration executing within the compute environment, the one or more scan modules configured to concurrently analyze the data in accordance with one or more respective scan use cases; receiving a request to add a new scan module to the unprivileged agentless workload scanning configuration, the new scan module associated with a new scan use case different than the one or more respective scan use cases, and dynamically loading, based on the request and while the one or more scan modules are concurrently analyzing the data, the new scan module into the unprivileged agentless workload scanning configuration.

Abstract: A control system for generating a torque command for an electric motor carried by an electric vehicle (EV) including a motion observer configured to receive an angular position of an output shaft of the electric motor and an ideal torque command and output an estimated disturbance torque value; and a controller configured to receive the estimated disturbance torque value as well as output a harmonic disturbance torque value.

Abstract: A transmitter includes: an input configured to receive, via an electrical interface, encoded data from a host device, the encoded data being encoded at the host device according to a first code; processing circuitry configured to process the encoded data to provide processed data; an encoder configured to encode the processed data according to a second code that is different than the first code, where encoding the processed data includes concatenating one or more parity bits to the processed data to provide forward error correction (FEC) blocks of data; and transmit circuitry to transmit the FEC data over an optical medium.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve can comprise a stent frame radially movable between a contracted configuration and a maximum expanded configuration. The stent assembly can comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending jack strut assemblies, wherein each jack strut assembly comprises a proximal jack strut comprising a distal surface, a distal jack strut comprising a proximal surface, and a jack screw connecting the proximal jack strut and the distal jack strut. The proximal surface of each distal jack strut does not contact the distal surface of each respective proximal jack strut when the stent assembly is in the contracted configuration. The proximal surface of each distal jack strut contacts the distal surface of each respective proximal jack strut when the stent assembly is in the maximum expanded configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning industrial components has a liquid container defining a liquid enclosure for containing a cleaning liquid and ultrasonic transducers having an operating frequency and a wavelength in the cleaning liquid and secured to at least a portion of the liquid container at a spacing of between 2 and 10 wavelengths. In operation, the transducers generate a larger power density in the component-receiving area of the liquid container than an average power density of the liquid container.