Abstract: Methods for reconstructing an image can include, inter alia, (i) reconstructing a contrast-enhanced output CT image from a nonenhanced input CT image, (ii) reconstructing a nonenhanced output CT image from a contrast-enhanced CT image, (iii) reconstructing a dual-energy, contrast-enhanced output CT image from a single-energy, contrast-enhanced CT image, and/or (iv) reconstructing a full-dose, contrast-enhanced CT image from a low-dose, contrast-enhanced CT image.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining and evaluating an objective tumor response to an anti-cancer therapy using cross-sectional images can include receiving cross-sectional images of digital medical image data and identifying target lesions within the cross-sectional images. For each of the target lesions, a target lesion type and anatomical location is identified, a segmenting tool is activated for segmenting the target lesions into regions of interest, lesion metrics are automatically extracted from the regions of interest according to tumor response criteria, and conformity of target lesion identification is monitored using rules associated with the tumor response criteria, prompting a user to address any nonconforming target lesion. The method also includes receiving a presence/absence of metastases, determining changes in lesions metrics, and deriving an objective tumor response based on the tumor response criteria.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing a hole having an accurately controlled area in an orifice plate for a mass flow controller are provided. Methods involve forming an initial hole in the orifice plate. The initial hole has an opening having an initial area. The orifice plate comprises a material that can react to form a coating on the orifice plate. The coating occupies a greater volume than the material consumed to form the coating. The material of the orifice plate is reacted with a reactant to produce the coating and thereby produce a reduced area hole having an opening with a reduced area that is smaller than the initial area. The reduced area hole is measured. A determined amount of the coating is removed from at least the reduced area hole to produce a final hole in the orifice plate, wherein the reduced area is smaller than an opening area of the final hole.

Abstract: The disclosed concept pertains to vacuum interrupters and arc-resistant shields. The arc-resistant shields are positioned in between a ceramic insulator. Each end of the arc-resistant shield is hermetically sealed to the ceramic insulator. The arc-resistant shield includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface includes an arc-resistant material. Disposed within the arc-resistant shield is a pair of electrode assemblies which are separable to establish arcing. In certain embodiments, the arc-resistant material is copper-chromium alloy.

Abstract: A gas pump and processes for preparing the gas pump are presented. The gas pump includes a bottom Holweck stage with internal heaters for cleaning deposits resulting from exhausting gases from a semiconductor manufacturing chamber. One example gas pump includes a turbomolecular stage on a top section of the gas pump and a Holweck stage below the turbomolecular stage. The Holweck stage comprises a rotor element, a stator element with an opening in the center, and one or more heaters. The opening has a substantially cylindrical shape and an inside surface with a plurality of grooves separated by threads. Each heater is situated on a surface of one of the plurality of grooves. The heaters may be turned on to clean the deposits accumulated on the gas pump during the processing of a substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for delivering a process gas to a processing chamber are provided. A mass flow controller includes a first flow line for introducing a process fluid and an inlet valve disposed along the first flow line for controlling a flow rate of the process fluid. The mass flow controller includes a second flow line for introducing a carrier fluid into the mass flow controller and a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) Coriolis sensor for providing a density signal and a mass flow rate signal for a mixture of the process fluid and the carrier fluid. The mass flow controller provided includes an outlet valve for controlling a mass flow rate of the mixture that is output by the mass flow controller as well as a controller for operating the inlet valve based on the density signal and for operating the outlet valve based on the mass flow rate signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to heterocyclic compounds consisting of a core nitrogen atom surrounded by three pendant groups, wherein two of the three pendant groups are preferably benzimidazolyl methyl and tetrahydroquinolyl, and the third pendant group contains N and optionally contains additional rings. The compounds bind to chemokine receptors, including CXCR4 and CCR5, and demonstrate protective effects against infection of target cells by a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining and evaluating an objective tumor response to an anti-cancer therapy using cross-sectional images can include receiving cross-sectional images of digital medical image data and identifying target lesions within the cross-sectional images. For each of the target lesions, a target lesion type and anatomical location is identified, a segmenting tool is activated for segmenting the target lesions into regions of interest, lesion metrics are automatically extracted from the regions of interest according to tumor response criteria, and conformity of target lesion identification is monitored using rules associated with the tumor response criteria, prompting a user to address any nonconforming target lesion. The method also includes receiving a presence/absence of metastases, determining changes in lesions metrics, and deriving an objective tumor response based on the tumor response criteria.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing a hole having an accurately controlled area in an orifice plate for a mass flow controller are provided. Methods involve forming an initial hole in the orifice plate. The initial hole has an opening having an initial area. The orifice plate comprises a material that can react to form a coating on the orifice plate. The coating occupies a greater volume than the material consumed to form the coating. The material of the orifice plate is reacted with a reactant to produce the coating and thereby produce a reduced area hole having an opening with a reduced area that is smaller than the initial area. The reduced area hole is measured. A determined amount of the coating is removed from at least the reduced area hole to produce a final hole in the orifice plate, wherein the reduced area is smaller than an opening area of the final hole.

Abstract: A method of delivering a set of nonuniform cannabis inflorescences (“buds”) that fit within a target weight range. The method includes iteratively weighing a bud and automatically placing the weighed bud into one holding bin, out of a set of holding bins and automatically determining if the weight of any combination of the contents of the set of holding bins fits within the target weight range. When a combination of the contents of the holding bins fits within the target weight range, combining these holding bin contents together.

Abstract: A gas pump and processes for preparing the gas pump are presented. The gas pump includes a bottom Holweck stage with internal heaters for cleaning deposits resulting from exhausting gases from a semiconductor manufacturing chamber. One example gas pump includes a turbomolecular stage on a top section of the gas pump and a Holweck stage below the turbomolecular stage. The Holweck stage comprises a rotor element, a stator element with an opening in the center, and one or more heaters. The opening has a substantially cylindrical shape and an inside surface with a plurality of grooves separated by threads. Each heater is situated on a surface of one of the plurality of grooves. The heaters may be turned on to clean the deposits accumulated on the gas pump during the processing of a substrate.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining and evaluating an objective tumor response to an anti-cancer therapy using cross-sectional images can include receiving cross-sectional images of digital medical image data and identifying target lesions within the cross-sectional images. For each of the target lesions, a target lesion type and anatomical location is identified, a segmenting tool is activated for segmenting the target lesions into regions of interest, lesion metrics are automatically extracted from the regions of interest according to tumor response criteria, and conformity of target lesion identification is monitored using rules associated with the tumor response criteria, prompting a user to address any nonconforming target lesion. The method also includes receiving a presence/absence of metastases, determining changes in lesions metrics, and deriving an objective tumor response based on the tumor response criteria.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for delivering a process gas to a processing chamber are provided. A mass flow controller includes a first flow line for introducing a process fluid and an inlet valve disposed along the first flow line for controlling a flow rate of the process fluid. The mass flow controller includes a second flow line for introducing a carrier fluid into the mass flow controller and a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) Coriolis sensor for providing a density signal and a mass flow rate signal for a mixture of the process fluid and the carrier fluid. The mass flow controller provided includes an outlet valve for controlling a mass flow rate of the mixture that is output by the mass flow controller as well as a controller for operating the inlet valve based on the density signal and for operating the outlet valve based on the mass flow rate signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to heterocyclic compounds consisting of a core nitrogen atom surrounded by three pendant groups, wherein two of the three pendant groups are preferably benzimidazolyl methyl and tetrahydroquinolyl, and the third pendant group contains N and optionally contains additional rings. The compounds bind to chemokine receptors, including CXCR4 and CCR5, and demonstrate protective effects against infection of target cells by a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Abstract: A medical imaging system including a microwave antenna array having a transmitting antenna and a plurality of receiving antennae, wherein the transmitting antenna is configured to transmit microwave signals so as to illuminate a body part of a patient and the receiving antennae are configured to receive the microwave signals following scattering within the body part; a processor configured to process the scattered microwave signals and generate an output indicative of the internal structure of the body part to identify a region of interest within the body part; and a biopsy device comprising a biopsy needle movable relative to the microwave antenna array; wherein the receiving antennae are further configured to receive microwave signals scattered or emitted by the biopsy needle and the processor is further configured to monitor a position of the biopsy needle and to guide the biopsy needle to the identified region of interest within the body part.

Abstract: A radar system for a motor vehicle includes a mounting bracket and a radar support bracket carried on the mounting bracket. The radar support bracket is displaceable between a deployed position and a deflected position. A biasing element biases the radar support toward the deployed position. A radar module is carried on the radar support bracket.

Abstract: Systems and methods for standardizing target lesion selection within cross-sectional medical images can include the acts of: (i) sending a plurality of cross-sectional images to a user device, where each cross-sectional image is a cross-sectional slice of digital medical image data captured at a first timepoint from a radiologic device; (ii) receiving a user input identifying a set of pixels corresponding to a target lesion within a cross-sectional image of the plurality of cross-sectional images; and (iii) generating a target lesion location file that includes a precise anatomical location of the cross-sectional image and a pixel location of the target lesion within the cross-sectional image. The systems and methods can additionally include the act of causing a digital marker to be displayed on the cross-sectional image and on each analogous cross-sectional image captured at a later timepoint.

Abstract: Embodiments describe an accurate and rapid method for assessing spinal bone density on chest or abdominal CT images using post-processed colored images. Post-processing of CT images for the purposes of displaying the spine is followed by color enhancement of routine unenhanced or contrast enhanced CT images to improve diagnostic accuracy, inter-observer agreement, reader confidence and/or time of interpretation as it relates to assessing bone density of the spine. CT images are post-processed (without changes to the standard-of-care CT imaging protocol and without additional cost or radiation for the patient) to straighten the spine for improved visualization of multiple segments. The color-enhanced images can be displayable simultaneously with the grayscale images. Methods and systems are provided for performing opportunistic bone density screening.

Abstract: Systems and methods for standardizing target lesion selection within cross-sectional medical images can include the acts of: (i) sending a plurality of cross-sectional images to a user device, where each cross-sectional image is a cross-sectional slice of digital medical image data captured at a first timepoint from a radiologic device; (ii) receiving a user input identifying a set of pixels corresponding to a target lesion within a cross-sectional image of the plurality of cross-sectional images; and (iii) generating a target lesion location file that includes a precise anatomical location of the cross-sectional image and a pixel location of the target lesion within the cross-sectional image. The systems and methods can additionally include the act of causing a digital marker to be displayed on the cross-sectional image and on each analogous cross-sectional image captured at a later timepoint.

Abstract: Embodiments describe an accurate and rapid method for assessing spinal bone density on chest or abdominal CT images using post-processed colored images. Post-processing of CT images for the purposes of displaying the spine is followed by color enhancement of routine unenhanced or contrast enhanced CT images to improve diagnostic accuracy, inter-observer agreement, reader confidence and/or time of interpretation as it relates to assessing bone density of the spine. CT images are post-processed (without changes to the standard-of-care CT imaging protocol and without additional cost or radiation for the patient) to straighten the spine for improved visualization of multiple segments. The color-enhanced images can be displayable simultaneously with the grayscale images. Methods and systems are provided for performing opportunistic bone density screening.