Abstract: Methods and systems are described for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by adding CO2-reactive chemical base to a body of water in contact with the atmosphere, and determining the quantity of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere or prevented from reaching the atmosphere. The alkalinity addition to the body of water is controlled by a dosing apparatus capable of determining an amount of CO2-reactive alkalinity required for achieving a permissible target carbon dioxide removal. A rate of alkalinity flow is affected by input from sensors that monitor conditions in the body of water.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for treating a subject afflicted with a tumor derived from a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of (a) an anti-PD-1 antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof or an anti-PD-L1 antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof and (b) an anti-CTLA-4 antibody or an antigen binding portion thereof, wherein the tumor has a high tumor mutation burden (TMB) status. The TMB status can be determined by sequencing nucleic acids in the tumor and identifying a genomic alteration, e.g., a somatic nonsynonymous mutation, in the sequenced nucleic acids.

Abstract: A toilet shield comprises a tube, a first arm, a second arm, and a raised collar. The first arm is coupled to a first side edge of a lumen of the tube. The second arm is coupled to a second side edge of the lumen of the tube. The tube is configured such that the lumen of the tube opens in response to the first arm and the second arm being extended in generally opposite directions. The raised collar is disposed between and rises above the first arm and the second arm and is configured to deflect liquid feces expelled from a defecating human toward a rear portion of a toilet. An expandable pleat is disposed on each side of the raised collar.

Abstract: A composition, utility material, and method of making a utility material is disclosed. A composition having an improved setting time may include a plurality of microparticles mixed with a sodium silicate binder and an isocyanate setting agent, where the microparticle composition has a setting time of less than or equal to one hour. A utility material may be a wallboard that includes the composition.

Abstract: An updraft gasifier including a reactor chamber, the chamber adapted to receive an amount of biomass fuel, one or more reaction gas input means, the base portion located below and fluidly connected to the receiving portion of the reactor chamber, a hollow feed tube extending into the receiving portion of the chamber to terminate at a feed tube terminus within the receiving portion of the chamber, one or more product gas output means located at or near the top of the receiving portion of the reactor chamber; and wherein the gasifier further includes a biomass distribution member within the receiving chamber, the biomass distribution member positioned to enable a portion of the distribution member to be moveable beneath the feed tube terminus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods, systems, and apparatuses relating to structural supports, including acute Z-shaped beams and further including structural features that provide additional structural support for various types of structures, including, for example, bridge and floor beams and other horizontal support structures, along with solar panels, building columns, and other vertical support structures.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for monitoring the stress of a rail, in particular, of continuous welded rail (CWR), providing a device that includes radar processing mechanisms and circuitry which is mountable on a rail to be monitored. The radar unit is sealed in a housing and projects a beam to a fixed target that is within a detection range of the radar unit. The radar unit also includes circuitry that allows programming of readings to take place at predetermined time intervals so changes and the extent of changes in conditions of the rail may be determined, and communicated to a remotely situated monitoring device, which may take place through a gateway or other communication network. The devices also may be used to measure temperature and other properties, rail conditions within a tunnel, such as proximity of the rail to walls, as well as ground condition, and bridge monitoring.

Abstract: A system may connect user devices to a virtual whiteboard configured to output visual content to displays of the user devices. The system may invoke a video conference from the whiteboard to transmit, to the user devices, a message configured to connect the user devices to the video conference, and instantiate the whiteboard including the visual content output to the displays of the user devices within the video conference. In some implementations, the message may include context information (e.g., a title associated with the whiteboard, participants of the video conference, or an elapsed time of the video conference). In some implementations, the system may configure a graphical user interface (GUI) indicating users of the whiteboard. The GUI may be configured to receive selections of users to invite to the video conference.

Abstract: A manhole cover system for a roadway includes a rotationally fixed outer support securable to an interior of a roadway opening, and an inner sleeve positioned inside of the outer support. The outer support and the inner sleeve share a common central axis. A manhole cover is located at an upper vertical end of the inner sleeve, and a threaded arrangement including a support thread of the outer support is engaged with a complimentary sleeve thread of the inner sleeve, such that rotation of the inner sleeve about the central axis moves the inner sleeve and the manhole cover along the central axis.

Abstract: Conjugates derived from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and methods of use thereof are disclosed, useful for, inter alia, identifying and localizing the site of pathology and/or inflammation responsible for the sensation of pain in a patient; for identifying the sites of primary, secondary, benign, or malignant tumors; and for diagnosing infection or confirming or ruling out suspected infection. The NSAID-based conjugates contain an imaging moiety. The conjugates concentrate at sites of increased cyclooxygenase expression, thus revealing the sites of increased prostaglandin production, which is correlated with pain and inflammation, and correlated with tumor presence and/or location. Identifying areas of increased COX expressing can also aid in screening for infections.

Abstract: The present application discloses novel compounds of formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds and methods of inducing degradation of a protein, comprising contacting the protein with an effective amount of a compound of the disclosure. Methods of treating disease and disorders that results from abnormal activity of a target protein in a subject, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A nested tubing hanger has a wellhead housing that defines a wellhead bore, an outer hanger installed within the wellhead bore of the wellhead housing that has a parent bowl that supports an inner hanger. A hanger engagement carried by the outer hanger is radially moveable between a release position and an engagement position. In the engagement position, the hanger engagement engages an engagement profile on an outer surface of the inner hanger to lock the inner hanger in the outer hanger. With the hanger engagement in a release position, the inner hanger is removable from the outer hanger.

Abstract: A water-soluble unit dose article containing a non-soap anionic surfactant and non-ionic surfactant, where the non-ionic surfactant includes first and second alkoxylated alcohol non-ionic surfactants. A related process of laundering fabrics.

Abstract: A projectile partition that serves as a barrier from ballistics and explosions is disclosed. The projectile partition may serve a traditional role of providing a visual barrier while also providing protection from ballistics and explosions originating from an opposite side of the ballistic screen. The projectile partition may comprise one or more panels or plates that are adapted to repel ballistics and blasts. The projectile partition may further comprise a series of interconnected members that together form a frame which serves to position the one or more panels in a relatively upright position so as to form a barrier against ballistics and explosion blasts.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods for preparing a sequencing library including the steps of providing a template nucleic acid sequence, dNTPs, dUTP, a primer, a polymerase, a dUTP excising enzyme, and a plurality of beads including oligonucleotide adapter sequence segments; amplifying the template nucleic acid with the polymerase, dNTPs, dUTP and random hexamer to provide a complementary nucleic acid sequence including occasional dUTPs; and excising the incorporated dUTPs with the dUTP excising enzyme to provide nicks in the complementary nucleic acid sequence to provide a sequencing library.

Abstract: Battery powered quadrotors or drones have a limited operation time. To extend operation time, a powered tether can be used. This tether provides power to the drone allowing it to stay up indefinitely. Most tethered drones are captured to the base station. The tether can reel in and out as the drone moves, but the drone can't go higher or further than the maximum length of the tether. If the tether can be automatically disconnected, the drone could fly off for some remote mission, assuming the drone had an onboard power source such as rechargeable batteries. The present invention relates to a self-powered drone tether that comprises a rechargeable drone in flight which is referred to as the rechargeable drone, a drone that carries a powered tether which is referred to as the tether drone, a coupling mechanism between the rechargeable drone and the tether drone, and a base station with a powered tether and tether deployment system.

Abstract: A pool cleaner attachment device includes a bracket and at least one caster. The caster is mounted pivotably within the bracket. The bracket spaces the caster from a pool cleaning apparatus frame. A swivelable pool cleaner includes a cleaner body with a mounting frame; a bracket mounted to an edge of the frame; and a caster assembly mounted pivotably in the bracket. The caster assembly is spaced from the mounting frame by the bracket. The pool cleaner rolls in all directions around the pool, making it easier for the operator to clean hard to reach places.

Abstract: A multi-port charging system is provided for charging a rechargeable battery pack that solely propels a plug-in electric vehicle (EV). The system comprises a smart EV charging station including a single network gateway as an entire system communication portion of the multi-port charging system and a single charging system controller as an entire system controller portion of the multi-port charging system. The system further comprises at least two or expandable to greater than two charge ports electrically coupled to the smart EV charging station. Each charge port includes only a charging portion but not a system communication portion and a system controller portion. Each charge port includes a metering circuit to track an amount of electric energy delivered to an EV and collect metered energy data and send the metered energy data back to the smart EV charging station. Each charge port includes one or more EV connection plugs.

Abstract: A thread protection system for a wellbore tubular includes a thread protector and a self-aligning bit. The thread protector has an insert portion at one end and a drive portion at an opposite end. The insert portion is engageable with an end of the wellbore tubular. The drive portion has a central cavity axially positioned about the thread protector and a plurality of pockets radially disposed about the central cavity. The self-aligning bit includes a platform with a central hub and a plurality of fingers extending perpendicularly from a driven side of the platform. The fingers are radially disposed about the central hub. The central hub is slidingly receivable in the central cavity. Each finger has a tapered tip slidingly receivable into the plurality of pockets. The self-aligning bit is rotationally drivable by a driver whereby the thread protector is removably connectable to the wellbore tubular.

Abstract: A work machine can include a machine frame; and a component box holding a plurality of electrical components mounted to a roof of the machine frame; wherein the component box includes a plurality of indicator light sets exposed on an outer surface of the component box, wherein the plurality of indicator light sets are configured to indicate to external personnel a mode of operation of the work machine.