Abstract: Shaft assemblies, turbomachines, and methods of servicing a turbomachine are provided. A shaft assembly includes a first shaft having a first rabbet annularly defined therein. The first rabbet includes a first axially extending face and a first radially extending face. A second shaft coupled to the first shaft. The second shaft includes a second rabbet annularly defined therein and positioned opposite the first rabbet. The second rabbet includes a second axially extending face and a second radially extending face. A patch ring is mounted between the first rabbet and the second rabbet. The patch ring includes a main body positioned between and in contact with the first axially extending face and the second axially extending face. A first arm extends radially outward from the main body, and a second arm extends radially inward from the main body.

Abstract: Shaft assemblies, turbomachines, and methods of servicing a turbomachine are provided. A shaft assembly includes a first shaft having a first rabbet annularly defined therein. The first rabbet includes a first axially extending face and a first radially extending face. A second shaft coupled to the first shaft. The second shaft includes a second rabbet annularly defined therein and positioned opposite the first rabbet. The second rabbet includes a second axially extending face and a second radially extending face. A patch ring is mounted between the first rabbet and the second rabbet. The patch ring includes a main body positioned between and in contact with the first axially extending face and the second axially extending face. A first arm extends radially outward from the main body, and a second arm extends radially inward from the main body.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control system including: a power wrench; and a controller operatively connected to the power wrench, wherein the controller is configured to perform actions including: directing an operative head of the power wrench to turn in response to a pressure-angle derivative of the operative head being below a predetermined threshold, defining an origin at an angular position of the operative head where the pressure-angle derivative of the operative head exceeds the predetermined threshold, directing the operative head to turn by an angular step in response to: the pressure-angle derivative of the operative head exceeding the predetermined threshold, and an angular differential of the operative head being less than a target value; and directing the operative head to cease turning in response to the angular differential of the operative head being approximately equal to or greater than the target value.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method and/or an apparatus of a shareable virtual non-volatile storage device for a server. In one embodiment, the system includes a server, a storage array, a management processor, and a switching fabric. The storage array includes a storage device coupled with a controller associated with a shared driver to receive a data request from the server at a remote location from the storage array through the switch fabric via a communication link to direct the data request to the storage device coupled with it and transmit data to the server through the switch fabric. A virtual storage device is generated in the server to enable the server to share the shared driver in the storage array with other servers through the switch fabric between the server and the storage array. The server distributes the data across the storage devices through the shared driver.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control system including: a power wrench; and a controller operatively connected to the power wrench, wherein the controller is configured to perform actions including: directing an operative head of the power wrench to turn in response to a pressure-angle derivative of the operative head being below a predetermined threshold, defining an origin at an angular position of the operative head where the pressure-angle derivative of the operative head exceeds the predetermined threshold, directing the operative head to turn by an angular step in response to: the pressure-angle derivative of the operative head exceeding the predetermined threshold, and an angular differential of the operative head being less than a target value; and directing the operative head to cease turning in response to the angular differential of the operative head being approximately equal to or greater than the target value.

Abstract: A method of repairing a turbomachine rotor wheel including a first outer circumferential edge extending to a second outer circumferential edge through a circumferential surface, a dovetail interface extending across the outer circumferential surface between the first and second outer circumferential edges, and a bucket mounted to the dovetail interface includes identifying a defect on one of the first and second outer circumferential edges of the rotor wheel adjacent the bucket, securing the bucket in the dovetail interface to substantially constrain axial movement, and removing a portion of the one of the first and second outer circumferential edges to remove the defect.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method and/or an apparatus of a shareable virtual non-volatile storage device for a server. In one embodiment, the system includes a server, a storage array, a management processor, and a switching fabric. The storage array includes a storage device coupled with a controller associated with a shared driver to receive a data request from the server at a remote location from the storage array through the switch fabric via a communication link to direct the data request to the storage device coupled with it and transmit data to the server through the switch fabric. A virtual storage device is generated in the server to enable the server to share the shared driver in the storage array with other servers through the switch fabric between the server and the storage array. The server distributes the data across the storage devices through the shared driver.

Abstract: A method of repairing a turbomachine rotor wheel including a first outer circumferential edge extending to a second outer circumferential edge through a circumferential surface, a dovetail interface extending across the outer circumferential surface between the first and second outer circumferential edges, and a bucket mounted to the dovetail interface includes identifying a defect on one of the first and second outer circumferential edges of the rotor wheel adjacent the bucket, securing the bucket in the dovetail interface to substantially constrain axial movement, and removing a portion of the one of the first and second outer circumferential edges to remove the defect.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for characterizing networks are presented. For example, a method of characterizing a network represented by a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges is provided. The method may be implemented on a processor device and includes calculating, for example, by the processor device, a passthrough count of at least a portion of the network. The passthrough count includes a count of a number of passthroughs in the at least a portion of the network. A passthrough includes one of the plurality of nodes, a directed edge of the plurality of edges coupled to the one of the plurality of nodes, and another edge of the plurality of edges coupled to the one of the plurality of nodes. At most one of the directed edge and the other edge is directed towards the one of the plurality of nodes. At most one of the directed edge and the other edge is directed away from the one of the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a turbine. The method includes coupling buckets to a turbine wheel. The method also includes coupling a first end of a cover plate to the turbine wheel such that at least one projection extending from the turbine wheel retains the cover plate in position relative to the turbine wheel and inserting a fastening mechanism through an opening defined in the turbine wheel to secure the cover plate against the turbine wheel. The cover plate facilitates reducing dovetail leakage across the buckets coupled to the turbine wheel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of diagnosing Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair comprising detecting a mutation in SHOC2 gene. One specific diagnostic mutation disclosed is an A-to-G transition at position 4 resulting in a mutation at position 2 of SHOC2 amino acid sequence from serine to glycine. The invention also provides related sequences and kits.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for characterizing networks are presented. For example, a method of characterizing a network represented by a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges is provided. The method may be implemented on a processor device and includes calculating, for example, by the processor device, a passthrough count of at least a portion of the network. The passthrough count includes a count of a number of passthroughs in the at least a portion of the network. A passthrough includes one of the plurality of nodes, a directed edge of the plurality of edges coupled to the one of the plurality of nodes, and another edge of the plurality of edges coupled to the one of the plurality of nodes. At most one of the directed edge and the other edge is directed towards the one of the plurality of nodes. At most one of the directed edge and the other edge is directed away from the one of the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: A method in a computer network for automatically detecting a most advantageous protocol for communication by a client computer, said client computer being configured to be coupled to a server computer via a computer network. The method includes initiating a plurality of protocol threads for sending from the client computer to the server computer, a plurality of data requests. Each of the data requests employs a different protocol and a different connection. The data requests are configured to solicit, responsive to the data request, a set of responses from the server computer. Each of the responses employs a protocol associated with a respective one of the data requests. The method further includes receiving at the client computer at least a subset of the responses. The method also includes initiating a control thread at the client computer.

Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a turbine. The method includes coupling buckets to a turbine wheel. The method also includes coupling a first end of a cover plate to the turbine wheel such that at least one projection extending from the turbine wheel retains the cover plate in position relative to the turbine wheel and inserting a fastening mechanism through an opening defined in the turbine wheel to secure the cover plate against the turbine wheel. The cover plate facilitates reducing dovetail leakage across the buckets coupled to the turbine wheel.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of peptides and other small molecules (i.e. peptide mimetics) as pharmaceutical and/or therapeutic agents, and to methods for identification and design of peptides and peptide mimetics having desired functional activities. Specifically, peptides and other small molecules derived from regions of interacting intracellular signaling proteins are provided. More specifically, peptides and other small molecules derived from regions of the G&bgr; subunit of heterotrimeric GTP binding proteins are provided. Such molecules include specific agonists and antagonists of G&bgr; downstream effectors, including adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C. Such molecules are targeted to predicted regions of interaction between intracellular signaling proteins and tested for activity in functional assays using methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of peptides and other small molecules (i.e. peptide mimetics) as pharmaceutical and/or therapeutic agents, and to methods for identification and design of peptides and peptide mimetics having desired functional activities. Specifically, peptides and other small molecules derived from regions of interacting intracellular signaling proteins are provided. More specifically, peptides and other small molecules derived from regions of the G&bgr; subunit of heterotrimeric GTP binding proteins are provided. Such molecules include specific agonists and antagonists of G&bgr; downstream effectors, including adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C. Such molecules are targeted to predicted regions of interaction between intracellular signaling proteins and tested for activity in functional assays using methods of the invention.

Abstract: An efficient transmission protocol for transmitting multimedia streams from a server to a client computer over a diverse computer network including local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) such as the internet. The client computer includes a playout buffer, and the transmission rate is dynamically matched to the available bandwidth capacity of the network connection between the server and the client computer. If a playtime of the playout buffer, which is one measure of the number of data packets currently in the playout buffer, drops below a dynamically computed Decrease_Bandwidth (DEC_BW) threshold, then the transmission rate is decreased by sending a DEC_BW message to the server. Conversely, if the number of packets remaining in the playout buffer rises above a dynamically computed Upper Increase_Bandwidth (INC_BW) threshold and does not drop below a Lower INC_BW threshold for at least an INC_BW wait period, then the transmission rate is incremented.

Abstract: The present invention relates to therapeutic uses of mutant activated G.sub.s .alpha. and adenylyl cyclase 2. Although mutant activated G.sub.s .alpha. has been, previously, associated with proliferative and physiological disorders of a subset of differentiated cells, it has now been discovered that mutant activated G.sub.s .alpha. (referred to, hereafter, as G.sub.s .alpha.*) can suppress proliferation as well as the transformed phenotype. Accordingly, in various embodiments of the present invention, introduction of G.sub.s .alpha.* into cells or tissues, preferably by the use of viral vectors, may be used to reduce proliferation and/or prevent the development, reduce, or reverse malignancy. In further embodiments of the present invention, the introduction of adenylyl cyclase 2, preferably using viral vectors, may be used to limit cell proliferation and/or reduce the transformed phenotype.

Abstract: A method in a computer network for automatically detecting a most advantageous protocol for communication by a client computer, said client computer being configured to be coupled to a server computer via a computer network. The method includes initiating a plurality of protocol threads for sending from the client computer to the server computer, a plurality of data requests. Each of the data requests employs a different protocol and a different connection. The data requests are configured to solicit, responsive to the data requests, a set of responses from the server computer. Each of the responses employs a protocol associated with a respective one of the data requests. The method further includes receiving at the client computer at least a subset of the responses. The method also includes initiating a control thread at the client computer.

Abstract: An efficient and reliable transmission protocol for transmitting multimedia streams from a server to a client computer over a diverse computer network including local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) such as the internet. The client computer includes a playout buffer for temporary storage of incoming data packets. When the client computer detects that a data packet has not arrived at said client computer by an expected time of arrival (ETA), a round trip time for the data packet is computed. The round trip time is an estimate of a period beginning from the time a retransmission request is sent to from the client computer to the stream server till the time a copy of the missing data packet is received at the client computer from the stream server in response to the retransmission request. If the round trip time is less than the time remaining before the missing packet is no longer useful to the on-demand application, then a retransmission request packet is sent to the server.