Abstract: Harmful biological contaminants are treated using plasma fields. The inventive techniques offer improved results over existing devices and methods.

Abstract: An integrated transaction platform facilitates a transaction, such as a purchase of a vehicle or other item. The platform provides a pre-negotiated purchase price for the item to facilitate a transaction to purchase the item from a seller, the transaction being substantially frictionless from the buyer's perspective. The pre-negotiation can involve a reverse auction process in which sellers bid to sell the item to a buyer. After the buyer has identified a particular item for purchase, sellers that have the item available are notified to provide a bid indicating a price at which the seller is willing to sell the item. The lowest bid is selected, and a purchase agreement is finalized based on the lowest bid. After the agreement is finalized, the buyer can accept delivery of the item without further negotiation with the seller, and thus with substantially reduced friction compared to traditional purchase scenarios.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and techniques to modify graph code. In at least one embodiment, one or more circuits are to perform an application programming interface (API) to modify executable graph code.

Abstract: A water treatment system treats water to abates bacterial growth and includes a fluid-isolated heat exchanger; a water treatment container that heats water to a high water temperature that is greater than or equal to a kill temperature for bacteria; a hot water delivery conduit including a transitional cooling zone in thermal communication with the fluid-isolated heat exchanger and that provides bacteria-free water from the water treatment container at a safe temperature.

Abstract: A patient interface for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a nasal prong assembly including a pair of nasal prongs structured to sealingly communicate with nasal passages of a patient's nose in use and headgear to maintain the nasal prong assembly in a desired position on the patient's face. The headgear includes side straps and rigidizers provided to respective side straps. Each rigidizer includes a first end portion that provides a connector structured to engage a respective end of the nasal prong assembly and an inwardly curved protrusion in the form of a cheek support that curves inwardly of the connector. The cheek support is adapted to follow the contour of the patient's cheek and guide a respective end portion of the side strap into engagement with the patient's cheek to provide a stable cheek support.

Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus, and system for policy based wide area network. A network of network appliances is configured with a policy configuration. Each network appliance is configured to validate each wide area network packet against the policy configuration. The validation can include verifying that the packets meet the SD-WAN network segment requirements and security rules including verifying that the source and destination address of the packet meet the firewall zone requirements. Each wide area network packet contains a policy header that is checked by the sending and receiving network appliance against the policy configuration.

Abstract: A target stand is described that may comprise a frame; first and second rails; and a trolley. The frame may support the first and second rails. The trolley may comprise a base, a first wheel assembly coupled to the base and in contact with the first rail, and a second wheel assembly coupled to the base and in contact with the second rail, wherein the trolley is movable between respective lower ends of the first and second rails and respective upper ends of the first and second rails via the first and second wheel assemblies contacting the first and second rails. The base of the trolley may comprise a proximal portion and a cantilevered portion extending away from the proximal portion to a free end, wherein the first and second wheel assemblies are coupled to the proximal portion and the cantilevered portion extends over the first and second rails.

Abstract: A cooking device according to one example embodiment includes a base having a top surface positioned to contact a cooking vessel configured to hold food during cooking. The base includes a heater having a ceramic substrate and an electrically resistive trace on an exterior surface of the ceramic substrate. The heater is positioned to supply heat generated by applying an electric current to the electrically resistive trace to the top surface of the base for heating the cooking vessel to heat food in the cooking vessel. In some embodiments, the electrically resistive trace includes an electrical resistor material thick film printed on the exterior surface of the ceramic substrate. In some embodiments, the electrically resistive trace is positioned on a top surface of the ceramic substrate that faces upward toward the top surface of the base.

Abstract: There is provided an authentication system for validating identity credentials of a user attempting to access a resource provided by a remote resource provision system. The authentication system includes an input configured to receive, from the resource provision system, an authentication request comprising a cryptographic representation of digital identity data of the user and an associated token identifier, where the digital identity data comprises at least one image of an identity credential of the user. The system also includes a processor configured to: determine a pre-stored cryptographic identifier corresponding to the token identifier; and compare the received cryptographic representation with the pre-stored cryptographic identifier.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing device and methods for dispensing beverages are provided. In one embodiment, the beverage dispensing device includes a housing, a carbonation assembly, a carriage assembly, and one or more flavorant containers. The beverage dispensing device can also include a controller with a UI to allow a user to customize aspects of a beverage. These customizable aspects can include fluid volume, carbonation level, flavorant type, and/or flavorant amount. Based on the customized aspects of the beverage, the beverage dispensing device can dispense an amount of carbonated or uncarbonated water, and can dispense a type and amount of flavorant. Illustrative embodiments of flavorant containers are also provided.

Abstract: A method and system of selecting a software testing regimen for a software application. The method comprises receiving, at a security assessing server computing device, a Quality of Service (QoS) performance level in conjunction with a set of technical attributes of the software application, determining a security vulnerability diagnostic score for the software application based at least in part on the set of technical attributes and the QoS performance level, and selecting the software testing regimen in accordance with the QoS performance level and the security vulnerability diagnostic score.

Abstract: A patient interface for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a nasal prong assembly including a pair of nasal prongs structured to sealingly communicate with nasal passages of a patient's nose in use and headgear to maintain the nasal prong assembly in a desired position on the patient's face. The headgear includes side straps and rigidizers provided to respective side straps. Each rigidizer includes a first end portion that provides a connector structured to engage a respective end of the nasal prong assembly and an inwardly curved protrusion in the form of a cheek support that curves inwardly of the connector. The cheek support is adapted to follow the contour of the patient's cheek and guide a respective end portion of the side strap into engagement with the patient's cheek to provide a stable cheek support.

Abstract: Unwanted material in water, such as Legionella and scale, may be treated using a combination of technologies. Components of each technology may be controlled using a databus, such as an Internet-of-things (IoT) databus. An additional advantage of the treatment technologies is an increase in the efficiency of heat transfer components, such as cooling towers, and a related reduction in carbon footprint.

Abstract: A method and system for security vulnerability diagnostic assessment of an enterprise software application. The method comprises receiving, at a security assessing server, a set of technical attributes of the software application; receiving a set of execution context attributes of the software application; and determining a security vulnerability diagnostic score for the software application based at least in part on the set of technical attributes and the set of execution context attributes.

Abstract: A flatness control system includes a work stand of a finishing line, a plurality of actuators, a flatness measuring device, and a controller. The work stand includes a pair of vertically aligned work rolls. A first work roll of the pair of work rolls includes a plurality of flatness control zones configured to apply a localized pressure to a corresponding region on a substrate. Each actuator corresponds with a one of the plurality of flatness control zones. The flatness measuring device is configured to measure an actual flatness profile of the substrate. The controller is configured to adjust the plurality of actuators such that the localized pressures modify the actual flatness profile to achieve the desired flatness profile at the exit of the stand. The thickness and a length of the substrate remain substantially constant when the substrate exits the work stand.

Abstract: Flow control assemblies are provided. The flow control assemblies include a cap having a flow control system with an inlet port having an inlet valve and an outlet port having an outlet valve, wherein the flow control system achieves a Dosing Accuracy (DA) of about 100 or less according to the following formula: DA = [ ( Po - Pc ) ( Vd - Ls ) ] where, Po is a pressure to open the outlet valve (mmH2O), Pc is a pressure to close the outlet valve (mmH2O), Vd is a diameter of the outlet valve (mm), and Ls is a length of the valve opening (mm).

Abstract: An adhesion promoter for non-conductive surfaces is disclosed that combines a polyolefin with co-resins in a colloidal suspension in water. The colloidal suspension in water is prepared from mixing a solid-powder composition that includes the polyolefin and the co-resins with water. The colloidal suspension in water is applied to a low surface energy, non-conductive substrate, such as thermoplastic olefins, in order to make the substrates conductive for electrostatic painting.

Abstract: An inner mandrel for forming a variable taper component includes a plurality of interlocking pieces and a brace. Each interlocking piece defines opposed tapered edge faces, a first surface, and a tapered second surface opposite the first surface. One of the edge faces defines a locking feature and another of the edge faces defines a receiving feature engaging the locking feature of an adjacent interlocking piece. The first surface defines a variable taper and a plurality of recesses. The brace secures the plurality of interlocking pieces to each other in a concentric arrangement about a central axis. A maximum width of each of the interlocking pieces is smaller than a minimum width of an end portion of the variable taper component. A central portion of the variable taper component is wider than the end portions.

Abstract: A patient interface assembly includes a cushion assembly, and air delivery tube, and a connector assembly. The cushion assembly includes a flexible cushion including a base and a pair of nasal pillows that extend from the base and a frame that is more rigid than the flexible cushion. The connector assembly connects the air delivery tube to the cushion assembly and includes and elbow with a second end with a part spherical ball shape and a gas washout vent with a plurality of vent openings. The connector assembly also includes an elbow connector positioned in the frame. The elbow connector forms a part spherical socket shape that engages the part spherical ball shape of the elbow. The elbow connector includes an anchoring flange, which is configured to secure the flexible cushion to the elbow connector by way of the anchoring flange being inserted into the flexible cushion through a central opening in the flexible cushion.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to managing activity taken with respect to cloud-based software services. A platform manages data objects processed by software services and/or those entities that initiate processing events. The platform uses identifiers such as, for example, a persistent identifier (PID) to track processing events, The platform implements rules and/or permissions related to the managed data objects and/or managed entities to determine whether processing events are in compliance. The platform may update database records, send alerts, send data graphs, or provide a real-time stream related to the managed data objects and/or managed entities.