Abstract: Described herein are improved methods of degrading or converting cellulosic material into fermentable sugars using dithionite. Also described are improved methods of fermentation in the presence of dithionite.

Abstract: A modular design for large pulse jet fabric filters (PJFF) is divided into similar compartments, which are each “shop-fabricated” in quarter sections prior to delivery to the power plant site. The quarter sections of the compartments are modular and sized so that they can be fabricated at a shop located away from the power plant site and transported by truck over public roads to the power plant site. Once delivered to the site, the quarter sections are bolted together and seal welded to form a PJFF compartment, without requiring additional internal fabrication or welding. The assembled compartment is then lifted onto the support structure as an assembled unit and bolted and/or welded in place. The additional components of the PJFF may also be shop-fabricated offsite to further the benefits of the modular design.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods for a wound valve assembly provide an annular space extending radially around a central portion of a valve, which valve acts to substantially relieve pressure build up in a thoracic cavity when applied to a thoracic wound. In an illustrative example, the valve assembly may form an annular space that extends radially in all directions around a check valve. In some examples, gasses and exudates may flow substantially radially and/or parallel to the patient's local body. Various embodiments may advantageously provide open fluid communication for the gasses and exudates escaping from the wound when the valve assembly is partially covered (e.g., body armor, clothing, blankets), or when the patient may be lying down on the side of the body with the wound, for example.

Abstract: A seal assembly for use in a gearbox has a rotating ring to be secured to a shaft, and having a contact face. The contact face abuts a stationary seal. The stationary seal has a retainer with a channel extending to a bottom. A floating seal portion is positioned within the retainer, with a spring positioned between an inner end of the floating seal portion, and biasing the floating seal portion outwardly. There is an inner bore of the retainer which is spaced from an outer periphery of the floating seal portion. One of the inner bore and the outer periphery presides with the plurality of radially located pins. The other of the inner bore and the outer periphery is formed with the plurality of recesses. The pins are received in the recesses, to prevent rotation of the floating seal portion within the retainer.

Abstract: An embodiment includes a system having: a display device having a first operating platform; a base device having a second operating platform and being configured to connect with the display device through a hardware connection; the hardware connection including a communication link between the first and second operating platforms; and a server module and a client module; the server module configured to, responsive to selecting an active operating platform, communicate settings of a previously active operating platform via the hardware connection to the client module to maintain continuity of settings after switching active operating platforms. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A slit lamp mounted eye imaging a slit lamp integrated, a handheld, OCT integrated, or attached to a separate chinrest-joystick assembly apparatus for producing a wide field and/or magnified views of the posterior or the anterior segments of an eye through an undilated or dilated pupil. The apparatus images sections and focal planes and utilizes an illumination system that uses one or more LEDs, shifting optical elements, flipping masks, and/or aperture stops where the light can be delivered into the optical system on optical axis or off axis from center of optical system and return imaging path from the eye, creating artifacts in different locations on the eye image. Image processing is employed to detect and eliminate artifacts and masks from images. The apparatus can be used in combination with an OCT, microscope and can be disposed in a hand-held housing for hand-held use.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, an electrochemical sensor (10) for detecting the concentration of analyte in a fluid test sample is disclosed. The sensor (10) includes a counter electrode having a high-resistance portion for use in detecting whether a predetermined amount of sample has been received by the test sensor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a user to share bandwidth among multiple devices, and for a sharing device to share available bandwidth among different users. The bandwidth sharing platform can leverage social network techniques to facilitate user access, and sharing is incentivized by rewarding various types of sharing activity.

Abstract: A stand alone ice making appliance or an ice maker within an appliance is provided including a fluid supply inlet, a fluid reservoir that is configured to receive a fluid from the fluid supply inlet, a cooling plate that is in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, a refrigeration device in thermal contact with the cooling plate that is configured to freeze a predetermined amount of fluid to form a section of ice, a cutter grid configured adjacent the cooling plate to divide the section of ice, wherein at least a portion of the ice produces an excess fluid, an ice storage area in communication with the cutter grid where the storage area has at least one vertical wall, and a fluid diverter configured adjacent the cutter grid that is configured to direct the excess fluid toward the at least one vertical wall.

Abstract: An inferior vena cava filter (340) for use in the inferior vena cava (4) to capture thrombus (8) passing through the inferior vena cava (4) towards the heart and lungs to prevent pulmonary embolism comprises a proximal support hoop (302), a distal support hoop (312) and a plurality of support struts (303) extending between the proximal support hoop (302) and the distal support hoop (312). The filter (340) also comprises a plurality of capture arms (121) which are movable from a capturing configuration to an open configuration. The capture arms (121) are biased towards the open configuration. A biodegradable suture holds the capture arms (121) in the capturing configuration.

Abstract: A system for transactional prediction and estimation is presented. The system can include at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a network. The at least one server computer is configured to assemble at least one of transactional data and financial data acquired from at least one online transaction partner of a transaction source, and generate a predicted regulatory reporting obligation based on the at least one of transactional data and financial data. Upon determining the predicted regulatory reporting obligation includes a regulatory reporting about the transaction source by the at least one online transaction partner, the at least one server computer is configured to generate a report of estimated financial reporting data including potential expenses incurred by the transaction source.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention comprise systems and methods related to the provision of location based services via a mobile communications device. In different embodiments, a communication system is described, comprising a mobile communications device, a mobile communications base station, and a server computer system. The location of the device may be correlated with certain user preferences stored on the server computer system. In various embodiments, components of the larger system are described. In some cases, various location related mapping functions for a device are discussed. In other embodiments, systems and methods which provide for activities to be undertaken based on the location of a device are described. In still other embodiments, the disclosure addresses systems and methods of efficiently determining the location of a mobile device. In some embodiments, different notification schemes based on the location of a device and specified preferences are described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus, includes: a mandrel; an expansion cylinder, comprising: opposite first and second ends; an inner circumferential surface extending between the ends and characterized by an inner diameter, the inner circumferential surface defining a hollow cavity; an outer circumferential surface extending between the ends and characterized by an outer diameter that is greater than the inner diameter; and a plurality of slots extending from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface and latitudinally oriented between the ends; and one or more base plates configured to engage one of the ends of the expansion cylinder. In another embodiment, a method includes: arranging an expansion cylinder inside a test cylinder; arranging a mandrel inside the expansion cylinder; applying a force to the mandrel for exerting a radial force on the expansion cylinder; and detecting one or more indicia of structural failure of the test cylinder.

Abstract: A container lid for placement on the mouth of a container is designed to prevent the unwanted removal of fluids from the container. The container lid includes a beverage dispensing chamber having an open first chamber end, a closed second chamber end and at least one chamber sidewall extending from the first chamber end to the second chamber end. The beverage dispensing chamber includes a spout chamber which includes an open end and a closed end connected by a wall. The wall includes a valve slit which forms a valve flap having a memory closure mechanism to render the valve slit effectively impermeable to fluid absent force upon the valve slit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for treating oral diseases in a subject. This method comprises the following steps; diagnosing the subject, and choosing one or a combination of medications, their dosing and desired time course and then delivering the medications to the desired site in the periodontal pocket by administering a plurality of microcapsules, capsules, the microcapsules comprising one or more pharmaceutical agent(s) that are released in a predetermined manner and in accordance with the pathophysiology of the targeted disease.

Abstract: A dog harness is comprised of a torso strap encircling a dogs chest, connected to a chest strap passing around the chest of a dog, and a shoulder strap passing over the back of a dog. The chest strap is provided with a elongate linker. A leash connector is fixed to both ends of the elongate linker. When a leash is attached to either leash connector, a directional pull on the leash causes the leash connector to slide in the direction of the pull, pulling the elongate linker to the side creating a noise detectable by the animal to assist in the training of the animal. If the leash becomes tight pulling the elongate linker all the way to the side it will move the pull off the center of the dog's chest, thus decreasing the opposition reflex.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system decomposes a set of schema files. The system receives a set of schema files and automatically identifies a plurality of root schema files in the set, where a root schema file is determined based on remaining schema files in the set lacking a reference to that schema file. For each root schema file, the system creates a subset of the original set of schema files. The subset contains the root schema file, and at least one subset further includes one or more schema files that provide information for that root schema file. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for decomposing a set of schema files in substantially the same manners described above.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I), pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and uses of the compounds of formula (I) for treating bacterial infections are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a user to share bandwidth among multiple devices, and for a sharing device to share available bandwidth among different users. The bandwidth sharing platform can leverage social network techniques to facilitate user access, and sharing is incentivized by rewarding various types of sharing activity.

Abstract: The present invention is a software method for the authoring and generation of highly resizable document layouts that automatically adapt to a wide range of window and screen sizes spanning the desktop to smartphones by interpolating and adaptively skipping the display of document layouts mapped to multiple reference windows called key-frames such that the generated document layouts and styles in a runtime document window are adjusted to be as close to the author's intent as possible. The adaptive display-skipping technique can also be extended to support adaptive pagination of document layouts.