Managing money is complicated, especially for people with a brain injury who may have trouble remembering what they spent or creating a budget. Adam shares some tips from online banking to keeping a spending journal.

If extra time on a test or memory aids can make life easier during college, why not use them? Adam talks about moving past the "stigma" of using disability services and getting the help you need to succeed in college.

Adam thanks you — his blog viewers and supporters — and encourages you to continue the discussion and awareness raising about TBI and PTSD; the battle does not stop here.

Language sets humans apart in the animal world. Language allows us to communicate complex ideas and emotions.  But too often after brain injury be it stroke or trauma, language is lost. 

Are there still folks among you who, like me, prefer handwriting to typing? If you’re in this group, you’ll love this new feature on Google Lens. The app now lets you scan your handwritten notes, copy them, and paste them straight to your computer. I gave it a spin, and I bring you my impressions […]

The post Google Lens now copies handwritten text and pastes it straight to your computer appeared first on DIY Photography.

Annotations are what set visual communication and journalism apart from just visualization. They often consist of text, but some of the most useful annotations are graphical elements, and many of them are very simple. One type I have a particular fondness for is the diagonal reference line, which has been used to provide powerful context […]

We propose a general procedure to construct noncommutative deformations of an algebraic submanifold $M$ of $mathbb{R}^n$, specializing the procedure [G. Fiore, T. Weber, Twisted submanifolds of $mathbb{R}^n$, arXiv:2003.03854] valid for smooth submanifolds. We use the framework of twisted differential geometry of [Aschieri et al.,Class. Quantum Gravity 23 (2006), 1883], whereby the commutative pointwise product is replaced by the $star$-product determined by a Drinfel'd twist. We actually simultaneously construct noncommutative deformations of all the algebraic submanifolds $M_c$ that are level sets of the $f^a(x)$, where $f^a(x)=0$ are the polynomial equations solved by the points of $M$, employing twists based on the Lie algebra $Xi_t$ of vector fields that are tangent to all the $M_c$. The twisted Cartan calculus is automatically equivariant under twisted $Xi_t$. If we endow $mathbb{R}^n$ with a metric, then twisting and projecting to normal or tangent components commute, projecting the Levi-Civita connection to the twisted $M$ is consistent, and in particular a twisted Gauss theorem holds, provided the twist is based on Killing vector fields. Twisted algebraic quadrics can be characterized in terms of generators and $star$-polynomial relations. We explicitly work out deformations based on abelian or Jordanian twists of all quadrics in $mathbb{R}^3$ except ellipsoids, in particular twisted cylinders embedded in twisted Euclidean $mathbb{R}^3$ and twisted hyperboloids embedded in twisted Minkowski $mathbb{R}^3$ [the latter are twisted (anti-)de Sitter spaces $dS_2,AdS_2$].

In 1978, Dwight Duffus---editor-in-chief of the journal "Order" from 2010 to 2018 and chair of the Mathematics Department at Emory University from 1991 to 2005---wrote that "it is not obvious that $P$ is connected and $P^P$ isomorphic to $Q^Q$ implies that $Q$ is connected," where $P$ and $Q$ are finite non-empty posets. We show that, indeed, under these hypotheses $Q$ is connected and $Pcong Q$.

Recent studies of optimization methods and GNC of spacecraft near small bodies focusing on descent, landing, rendezvous, etc., with key safety constraints such as line-of-sight conic zones and soft landings have shown promising results; this paper considers descent missions to an asteroid surface with a constraint that consists of an onboard camera and asteroid surface markers while using a stochastic convex MPC law. An undermodeled asteroid gravity and spacecraft technology inspired measurement model is established to develop the constraint. Then a computationally light stochastic Linear Quadratic MPC strategy is presented to keep the spacecraft in satisfactory field of view of the surface markers while trajectory tracking, employing chance based constraints and up-to-date estimation uncertainty from navigation. The estimation uncertainty giving rise to the tightened constraints is particularly addressed. Results suggest robust tracking performance across a variety of trajectories.

We prove that there are no irreducible representations of $B_n$ of dimension $n+1$ for $ngeq 10.$

In this work, we investigate multi-task learning as a way of pre-training models for classification tasks in digital pathology. It is motivated by the fact that many small and medium-size datasets have been released by the community over the years whereas there is no large scale dataset similar to ImageNet in the domain. We first assemble and transform many digital pathology datasets into a pool of 22 classification tasks and almost 900k images. Then, we propose a simple architecture and training scheme for creating a transferable model and a robust evaluation and selection protocol in order to evaluate our method. Depending on the target task, we show that our models used as feature extractors either improve significantly over ImageNet pre-trained models or provide comparable performance. Fine-tuning improves performance over feature extraction and is able to recover the lack of specificity of ImageNet features, as both pre-training sources yield comparable performance.

Many efforts of research are devoted to semantic role labeling (SRL) which is crucial for natural language understanding. Supervised approaches have achieved impressing performances when large-scale corpora are available for resource-rich languages such as English. While for the low-resource languages with no annotated SRL dataset, it is still challenging to obtain competitive performances. Cross-lingual SRL is one promising way to address the problem, which has achieved great advances with the help of model transferring and annotation projection. In this paper, we propose a novel alternative based on corpus translation, constructing high-quality training datasets for the target languages from the source gold-standard SRL annotations. Experimental results on Universal Proposition Bank show that the translation-based method is highly effective, and the automatic pseudo datasets can improve the target-language SRL performances significantly.

A brain-computer interface (BCI) enables a user to communicate with a computer directly using brain signals. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) used in BCIs are weak, easily contaminated by interference and noise, non-stationary for the same subject, and varying across different subjects and sessions. Therefore, it is difficult to build a generic pattern recognition model in an EEG-based BCI system that is optimal for different subjects, during different sessions, for different devices and tasks. Usually, a calibration session is needed to collect some training data for a new subject, which is time consuming and user unfriendly. Transfer learning (TL), which utilizes data or knowledge from similar or relevant subjects/sessions/devices/tasks to facilitate learning for a new subject/session/device/task, is frequently used to reduce the amount of calibration effort. This paper reviews journal publications on TL approaches in EEG-based BCIs in the last few years, i.e., since 2016. Six paradigms and applications -- motor imagery, event-related potentials, steady-state visual evoked potentials, affective BCIs, regression problems, and adversarial attacks -- are considered. For each paradigm/application, we group the TL approaches into cross-subject/session, cross-device, and cross-task settings and review them separately. Observations and conclusions are made at the end of the paper, which may point to future research directions.

We propose a new method for realistic human motion transfer using a generative adversarial network (GAN), which generates a motion video of a target character imitating actions of a source character, while maintaining high authenticity of the generated results. We tackle the problem by decoupling and recombining the posture information and appearance information of both the source and target characters. The innovation of our approach lies in the use of the projection of a reconstructed 3D human model as the condition of GAN to better maintain the structural integrity of transfer results in different poses. We further introduce a detail enhancement net to enhance the details of transfer results by exploiting the details in real source frames. Extensive experiments show that our approach yields better results both qualitatively and quantitatively than the state-of-the-art methods.

A graph $G=(V,E)$ is $delta$-hyperbolic if for any four vertices $u,v,w,x$, the two larger of the three distance sums $d(u,v)+d(w,x)$, $d(u,w)+d(v,x)$, and $d(u,x)+d(v,w)$ differ by at most $2delta geq 0$. Recent work shows that many real-world graphs have small hyperbolicity $delta$. This paper describes the eccentricity terrain of a $delta$-hyperbolic graph. The eccentricity function $e_G(v)=max{d(v,u) : u in V}$ partitions the vertex set of $G$ into eccentricity layers $C_{k}(G) = {v in V : e(v)=rad(G)+k}$, $k in mathbb{N}$, where $rad(G)=min{e_G(v): vin V}$ is the radius of $G$. The paper studies the eccentricity layers of vertices along shortest paths, identifying such terrain features as hills, plains, valleys, terraces, and plateaus. It introduces the notion of $eta$-pseudoconvexity, which implies Gromov's $epsilon$-quasiconvexity, and illustrates the abundance of pseudoconvex sets in $delta$-hyperbolic graphs. In particular, it shows that all sets $C_{leq k}(G)={vin V : e_G(v) leq rad(G) + k}$, $kin mathbb{N}$, are $(2delta-1)$-pseudoconvex. Additionally, several bounds on the eccentricity of a vertex are obtained which yield a few approaches to efficiently approximating all eccentricities. An $O(delta |E|)$ time eccentricity approximation $hat{e}(v)$, for all $vin V$, is presented that uses distances to two mutually distant vertices and satisfies $e_G(v)-2delta leq hat{e}(v) leq {e_G}(v)$. It also shows existence of two eccentricity approximating spanning trees $T$, one constructible in $O(delta |E|)$ time and the other in $O(|E|)$ time, which satisfy ${e}_G(v) leq e_T(v) leq {e}_G(v)+4delta+1$ and ${e}_G(v) leq e_T(v) leq {e}_G(v)+6delta$, respectively. Thus, the eccentricity terrain of a tree gives a good approximation (up-to an additive error $O(delta))$ of the eccentricity terrain of a $delta$-hyperbolic graph.

Uncertain dynamic obstacles, such as pedestrians or vehicles, pose a major challenge for optimal robot navigation with safety guarantees. Previous work on motion planning has followed two main strategies to provide a safe bound on an obstacle's space: a polyhedron, such as a cuboid, or a nonlinear differentiable surface, such as an ellipsoid. The former approach relies on disjunctive programming, which has a relatively high computational cost that grows exponentially with the number of obstacles. The latter approach needs to be linearized locally to find a tractable evaluation of the chance constraints, which dramatically reduces the remaining free space and leads to over-conservative trajectories or even unfeasibility. In this work, we present a hybrid approach that eludes the pitfalls of both strategies while maintaining the original safety guarantees. The key idea consists in obtaining a safe differentiable approximation for the disjunctive chance constraints bounding the obstacles. The resulting nonlinear optimization problem is free of chance constraint linearization and disjunctive programming, and therefore, it can be efficiently solved to meet fast real-time requirements with multiple obstacles. We validate our approach through mathematical proof, simulation and real experiments with an aerial robot using nonlinear model predictive control to avoid pedestrians.

Restless multi-armed bandits are a class of discrete-time stochastic control problems which involve sequential decision making with a finite set of actions (set of arms). This paper studies a class of constrained restless multi-armed bandits (CRMAB). The constraints are in the form of time varying set of actions (set of available arms). This variation can be either stochastic or semi-deterministic. Given a set of arms, a fixed number of them can be chosen to be played in each decision interval. The play of each arm yields a state dependent reward. The current states of arms are partially observable through binary feedback signals from arms that are played. The current availability of arms is fully observable. The objective is to maximize long term cumulative reward. The uncertainty about future availability of arms along with partial state information makes this objective challenging. Applications for CRMAB abound in the domain of cyber-physical systems. This optimization problem is analyzed using Whittle's index policy. To this end, a constrained restless single-armed bandit is studied. It is shown to admit a threshold-type optimal policy, and is also indexable. An algorithm to compute Whittle's index is presented. Further, upper bounds on the value function are derived in order to estimate the degree of sub-optimality of various solutions. The simulation study compares the performance of Whittle's index, modified Whittle's index and myopic policies.

Unsupervised learning of hidden representations has been one of the most vibrant research directions in machine learning in recent years. In this work we study the brain-like Bayesian Confidence Propagating Neural Network (BCPNN) model, recently extended to extract sparse distributed high-dimensional representations. The saliency and separability of the hidden representations when trained on MNIST dataset is studied using an external classifier, and compared with other unsupervised learning methods that include restricted Boltzmann machines and autoencoders.

The patterns in which the syntax of different languages converges and diverges are often used to inform work on cross-lingual transfer. Nevertheless, little empirical work has been done on quantifying the prevalence of different syntactic divergences across language pairs. We propose a framework for extracting divergence patterns for any language pair from a parallel corpus, building on Universal Dependencies. We show that our framework provides a detailed picture of cross-language divergences, generalizes previous approaches, and lends itself to full automation. We further present a novel dataset, a manually word-aligned subset of the Parallel UD corpus in five languages, and use it to perform a detailed corpus study. We demonstrate the usefulness of the resulting analysis by showing that it can help account for performance patterns of a cross-lingual parser.

Neural machine translation (NMT) needs large parallel corpora for state-of-the-art translation quality. Low-resource NMT is typically addressed by transfer learning which leverages large monolingual or parallel corpora for pre-training. Monolingual pre-training approaches such as MASS (MAsked Sequence to Sequence) are extremely effective in boosting NMT quality for languages with small parallel corpora. However, they do not account for linguistic information obtained using syntactic analyzers which is known to be invaluable for several Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. To this end, we propose JASS, Japanese-specific Sequence to Sequence, as a novel pre-training alternative to MASS for NMT involving Japanese as the source or target language. JASS is joint BMASS (Bunsetsu MASS) and BRSS (Bunsetsu Reordering Sequence to Sequence) pre-training which focuses on Japanese linguistic units called bunsetsus. In our experiments on ASPEC Japanese--English and News Commentary Japanese--Russian translation we show that JASS can give results that are competitive with if not better than those given by MASS. Furthermore, we show for the first time that joint MASS and JASS pre-training gives results that significantly surpass the individual methods indicating their complementary nature. We will release our code, pre-trained models and bunsetsu annotated data as resources for researchers to use in their own NLP tasks.

Learning-based techniques are increasingly effective at controlling complex systems using data-driven models. However, most work done so far has focused on learning individual tasks or control laws. Hence, it is still a largely unaddressed research question how multiple tasks can be learned efficiently and simultaneously on the same system. In particular, no efficient state space exploration schemes have been designed for multi-task control settings. Using this research gap as our main motivation, we present an algorithm that approximates the smallest data set that needs to be collected in order to achieve high control performance for multiple learning-based control laws. We describe system uncertainty using a probabilistic Gaussian process model, which allows us to quantify the impact of potentially collected data on each learning-based controller. We then determine the optimal measurement locations by solving a stochastic optimization problem approximately. We show that, under reasonable assumptions, the approximate solution converges towards that of the exact problem. Additionally, we provide a numerical illustration of the proposed algorithm.

This paper considers a convex optimization problem with cost and constraints that evolve over time. The function to be minimized is strongly convex and possibly non-differentiable, and variables are coupled through linear constraints.In this setting, the paper proposes an online algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers(ADMM), to track the optimal solution trajectory of the time-varying problem; in particular, the proposed algorithm consists of a primal proximal gradient descent step and an appropriately perturbed dual ascent step. The paper derives tracking results, asymptotic bounds, and linear convergence results. The proposed algorithm is then specialized to a multi-area power grid optimization problem, and our numerical results verify the desired properties.

We analyze the computational complexity of motion planning through local "input/output" gadgets with separate entrances and exits, and a subset of allowed traversals from entrances to exits, each of which changes the state of the gadget and thereby the allowed traversals. We study such gadgets in the 0-, 1-, and 2-player settings, in particular extending past motion-planning-through-gadgets work to 0-player games for the first time, by considering "branchless" connections between gadgets that route every gadget's exit to a unique gadget's entrance. Our complexity results include containment in L, NL, P, NP, and PSPACE; as well as hardness for NL, P, NP, and PSPACE. We apply these results to show PSPACE-completeness for certain mechanics in Factorio, [the Sequence], and a restricted version of Trainyard, improving prior results. This work strengthens prior results on switching graphs and reachability switching games.

The de Bruijn graph, its sequences, and their various generalizations, have found many applications in information theory, including many new ones in the last decade. In this paper, motivated by a coding problem for emerging memory technologies, a set of sequences which generalize sequences in the de Bruijn graph are defined. These sequences can be also defined and viewed as constrained sequences. Hence, they will be called constrained de Bruijn sequences and a set of such sequences will be called a constrained de Bruijn code. Several properties and alternative definitions for such codes are examined and they are analyzed as generalized sequences in the de Bruijn graph (and its generalization) and as constrained sequences. Various enumeration techniques are used to compute the total number of sequences for any given set of parameters. A construction method of such codes from the theory of shift-register sequences is proposed. Finally, we show how these constrained de Bruijn sequences and codes can be applied in constructions of codes for correcting synchronization errors in the $ell$-symbol read channel and in the racetrack memory channel. For this purpose, these codes are superior in their size on previously known codes.

Retired soccer star Briana Scurry talks about how all her successes started with her mind and her ability to overcome obstacles. After her injury, she felt lost, broken.

By Michael Crowley The New York Times Company…

Techniques for evaluation and/or retraining of a classification model built using labeled training data. In some aspects, a classification model having a first set of weights is retrained by using unlabeled input to reweight the labeled training data to have a second set of weights, and by retraining the classification model using the labeled training data weighted according to the second set of weights. In some aspects, a classification model is evaluated by building a similarity model that represents similarities between unlabeled input and the labeled training data and using the similarity model to evaluate the labeled training data to identify a subset of the plurality of items of labeled training data that is more similar to the unlabeled input than a remainder of the labeled training data.

A computer-implemented method is provided for statistical data learning under privacy constraints. The method includes: receiving, by a processor, a plurality of pieces of statistical information relating to a statistical object and aggregating, by the processor, the plurality of pieces of statistical information so as to provide an estimation of the statistical object. Each piece of statistical information includes an uncertainty variable, the uncertainty variable being a value determined from a function having a predetermined mean. The number of pieces of statistical information aggregated is proportional to the reliability of the estimation of the statistical object.

A system and method is described for use with a data grid cluster, which uses cluster quorum to prevent split brain scenario. The data grid cluster includes a plurality of cluster nodes, each of which runs a cluster service. Each cluster service collects and maintains statistics regarding communication flow between its cluster node and the other cluster nodes in the data grid cluster. The statistics are used to determine a status associated with other cluster nodes in the data grid cluster whenever a disconnect event happens. The data grid cluster is associated with a quorum policy, which is defined in a cache configuration file, and which specifies a time period that a cluster node will wait before making a decision on whether or not to evict one or more cluster nodes from the data grid cluster.

A method for designing a transformer in an integrated circuit includes receiving one or more desired characteristics of the transformer from user input and iteratively determining a design solution for the transformer through one or more simulations and modifications using a rule-set. The method combines the one or more desired characteristics with other preset characteristics of the transformer or the integrated circuit. A first model of the transformer is defined with typical load impedances and simulated having the combined characteristics to determine performance. Results of the simulation are processed to calculate performance with the load impedances specified by the user. The results are further processed to obtain a mathematical model that includes tuning capacitors. The first and subsequent models are modified by drawing on a rule-set of expert knowledge relating to general dependency of at least one design criterion, such as a physical, geometrical or performance characteristic, with another design criterion.

The present invention is a solid rinse aid composition and methods of making and using the same. Applicants have surprisingly found that the crystal modifier sodium xylene sulfonate (short chain alkyl benzene or alkyl naphthalene sulfonates) at higher percentage can act as a solidification agent. The solid rinse aid composition generally includes an short chain alkyl benzene or alkyl naphthalene sulfonates solidification agent and an effective amount of a surfactant which can include a sheeting agent component, defoamer component and/or association disruption agent. The solid rinse aid composition may be phosphate-free, aminocarboxylate-free, and GRAS if desired.

Techniques for sorting and filtering a list in a space-constrained viewing area are described. A filter widget and a list of items are displayed in a view of an electronic display screen. In response to user input selecting the filter widget, and without changing to a different view, a filter category overlay is displayed in the view to provide various selectable filter categories. In response to selection of a filter category, a visual depiction of the selected filter category is displayed in the view. The list of items is filtered according to the selected filter category and displayed in the view without changing to any other view. Subsequently added visual depictions are linearly stacked in the view. Further, a filter modification overlay, which provides selectable filtering attributes, is displayed upon selection of a visual depiction.

Methods and devices for minimizing and maximizing displayed output associated with applications are provided. More particularly, an application presented as two or more pages in a portrait mode can be minimized to present one of the two or more pages following a minimization operation. The page that continues to be displayed can comprise a primary or preferred page, while the page that is dismissed can comprise a secondary or ancillary page. With respect to a maximization operation received with respect to a page of an application results in the display of an additional page associated with that application. Maximization can include controlling the respective screens on which first and second pages of the maximized application are displayed.

A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controller receives new data that is to be written, wherein the new data is indicated in blocks of a first block size. The RAID controller reads old data, and old parity that corresponds to the old data, stored in blocks of a second block size that is larger in size than the first block size. The RAID controller computes new parity based on the new data, the old data, and the old parity. The RAID controller writes the new data and the new parity aligned to the blocks of the second block size, wherein portions of the old data that are not overwritten by the RAID controller are also written to the blocks of the second block size.

A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controller receives new data that is to be written, wherein the new data is indicated in blocks of a first block size. The RAID controller reads old data, and old parity that corresponds to the old data, stored in blocks of a second block size that is larger in size than the first block size. The RAID controller computes new parity based on the new data, the old data, and the old parity. The RAID controller writes the new data and the new parity aligned to the blocks of the second block size, wherein portions of the old data that are not overwritten by the RAID controller are also written to the blocks of the second block size.

A method and system for treating brain disorders comprises detecting activity of a first target area of the brain via a first implanted sensor and determining the presence of target brain activity by analyzing the detected brain activity in combination with treating the user based upon the determined presence of target brain activity by supplying a first therapeutic agent to the first target area via a first implanted fluid delivery member including at least one distal opening adjacent to the first target area. In addition, the system may be used as well for testing the effectiveness of drugs.

The present invention relates to a system and method for using the system. In particular, the present invention relates to an application, executable by a processing device to assess the organization of a non-nutritive suck (NNS) pattern of a patient and to entrain an organized NNS pattern in the patient. The software system receives data from an orofacial stimulation appliance to assess the patient's natural NNS pattern and generates a precise therapeutic pulse profile that is actuated as a tactile stimulus via the orofacial stimulation appliance to entrain an organized NNS pattern.

A vehicle powertrain has an engine, a driving shaft having a passage defined therein, a driven shaft, a pump, a hydraulic fluid reservoir, and a CVT. A driving pulley of the CVT includes a fixed sheave and a movable sheave disposed on the driving shaft for rotation therewith, a spring biasing a movable sheave away from the fixed sheave, and a CVT chamber fluidly communicating with the passage of the driving shaft. The pump supplies hydraulic fluid from the reservoir to the passage in the driving shaft. The hydraulic fluid flows from the passage to the CVT chamber to create a hydraulic pressure in the CVT chamber. The hydraulic pressure in the CVT chamber biases the movable sheave toward the fixed sheave.

A bicycle transmission control apparatus comprises a control unit that provides a first signal to operate a first derailleur a gear shift distance from a first origin sprocket to a first destination sprocket. The control unit receives a condition signal that indicates a condition resulting from at least one of the first derailleur and a second derailleur; and an adjustment controller moves the first derailleur an adjustment distance less than the gear shift distance in response to the condition signal.

A rear derailleur includes a base member, a movable member, a linkage and an electric motor unit. The base member includes a bicycle mounting portion for attaching to a bicycle. The movable member includes a chain guide having a first pulley that rotates around a first pulley axis in a center pulley plane that bisects the first pulley. The linkage movably supports the movable member relative to the base member. The electric motor unit is stationary with respect to at least a part of the base member and operatively coupled to the linkage to move the movable member relative to the base member between an outermost lateral position and an innermost lateral position. The electric motor unit is at least partially disposed inward of the center pulley plane while the movable member is disposed in the outermost lateral position.

A derailleur 10, for moving a chain 60 to different sized sprockets arranged small to large in a sprocket nest 101 is disclosed. The derailleur 10 has a pivot guide feed arm 11 for directing the chain 60 onto one of multiple sprockets within the sprocket nest 101. The pivot guide feed arm 11 is rotatably mounted at a pivot end on an angular pivot pin 12 and when the pivot guide feed arm 11 rotates about the pivot pin 12 an opposite chain guide end of the pivot guide feed arm 11 traces a path substantially parallel to a tangent to the outer periphery of the sprocket nest 101. The movement of the pivot guide feed arm 11 is mechanically driven by a user command and is preferably moved by a connected rod or wire or cable 109.

A bicycle derailleur adjusting apparatus for adjusting a bicycle derailleur includes a controller. The bicycle derailleur includes a base member adapted to be mounted to a bicycle, a movable member, a linkage coupled between the base member and the movable member, and an actuator configured to move the movable member of the bicycle derailleur among a plurality of derailleur positions. The controller is configured to control the actuator based on a travel value indicative of a travel distance of the movable member between adjacent derailleur positions to update the derailleur positions of the movable member.

A transmission system for vehicles, including bicycles, is disclosed. The system aligns a chain or other drive means to a center of each of a plurality of provided sprockets, allows for a smaller, lighter and more durable shifter/controller, and reduces various complications associated with cable slack and shifting. A derailleur is provided with linear actuated features to directly translate drive means from one position to another along a desired path.

A derailleur device, particularly a rear derailleur, includes at least one locking device for locking a chain guide at least in one locking position that is different from the starting position in relation to a movable element, and it is provided therein that the locking device includes a locking element displaceable between a passive position, in which the chain guide is released in relation to the movable element, and at least one active position, in which the chain guide is held in the at least one locking position.

A method of entraining a second fluid in a first fluid is provided. The method comprises supplying a first fluid to a processing passage (4) having an inlet (6) and an outlet (8), and supplying an entrainment fluid to a nozzle (10) which opens into the processing passage (4) intermediate the passage inlet (6) and the passage outlet (8). A second fluid which will undergo a change of phase and/or state when added to the first fluid is also provided, and supplied to a first port (22) opening into the processing passage (4) adjacent the nozzle (10). The entrainment fluid is injected from the nozzle (10) into the processing passage (4) so as to form a dispersed phase of the first and second fluids in a continuous vapor phase, and the vapor phase is condensed downstream of the nozzle (10). A device suitable for carrying out such a method is also provided.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to improved designs of railroad spikes and improved methods of manufacturing the same. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a railroad spike may comprise the steps of: preparing a metal blank having a substantially circular cross-section; subjecting the metal blank to at least one cold heading process and at least one cold extrusion process to form a railroad spike having (a) a circular head with a fillet at its bottom side that is angled to engage a railroad tie plate or rail base and (b) a non-threaded shank with a substantially square cross-section and a chiseled tip; and coating the railroad spike with an anti-corrosion material.

To ensure easy and secure placement of a belt for KAATSU muscle training on a target compressed site near the proximal portion of a limb. A belt 100B has a longer first band-shaped member 110 and a shorter second band-shaped member 120 both of which have a band shape and are connected to a ring-shaped joint member 130 at their respective ends. In order to place the belt 100B on the target compressed site, the limb (right leg in this case) on which the belt 100B is expected to be placed is inserted into a loop of the first band-shaped member 110 formed by passing the end of the first band-shaped member 110 through an opening in the joint member 130, and the belt is moved up to the target compressed site. Then, the first band-shaped member 110 and the second band-shaped member 120 are pulled with both hands in the opposite directions. The belt 100B is placed on the target compressed site with the belt 100B being tensioned appropriately.

A wound dressing is made of multiple layers and includes a collection chamber that is in fluid communication with a drainage channel. When applied over a wound, the wound dressing provides protection for the wound while allowing air and fluids to evacuate from the wound through the collection chamber and out through the drainage channel. The wound dressing can include a valve that restricts air and fluids from entering the wound, which is beneficial for treating pneumothorax.