Abstract: A diffuse illumination system for reducing diffusion-related illumination inhomogeneities includes an array of vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) emitters and a diffusing element including a transparent substrate and an array of nanostructures. A dimension and a shape of each nanostructure is configured to retard phases of two orthogonal polarization states of light incident on each nanostructure from the emitters for reducing illumination inhomogeneities in the output.

Abstract: Techniques for presenting a user interface on a display for monitoring and/or controlling a vehicle. The user interface may include a digital representation of an environment in which the vehicle is operation. Additionally, the user interface may include system interface that is configured to display one or more notifications associated with systems or components of the vehicle. The system interface may additionally, or alternatively, comprise one or more control inputs for controlling systems or components of the vehicle. The user interface may also include a mission interface that includes a map interface and a mission selection interface for selecting routes the vehicle is to navigate. The user interface may additionally cause presentation of visual indicators that indicate the presence of an object that is not shown on the user interface, but that is moving in a direction such that the object will soon be visibly displayed on the user interface.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical lens that includes wafer level diffractive microstructures. In one embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate, a microstructure layer having a first refractive index, and a protective layer having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index. The microstructure layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures. The protective layer is formed on the diffractive microstructures. The protective layer provides a cleanable surface and encapsulates the diffractive microstructures to prevent damage and contamination to the diffractive microstructures. In another embodiment, the optical lens includes a substrate and an anti-reflective layer. The anti-reflective layer is formed on the substrate and includes a plurality of diffractive microstructures.

Abstract: An analysis instrument comprises plural modules connected together over a data network, each module comprising an analysis apparatus operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample. Each module comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the analysis apparatus. The control units are addressable to select an arbitrary number of modules to operate as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis. The control units communicate over the data network, repeatedly during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, to determine the operation of the analysis apparatus of each module required to meet the global performance targets, on the basis of measures of performance derived from the output data produced by the modules. The arrangement of the instrument as modules interacting in this manner provides a scalable analysis instrument.

Abstract: A fluorescent macromolecule comprising: a linear sequence-defined backbone; and a plurality of fluorophores attached to the backbone in a pre-determined order to form a fluorophore sequence, wherein the fluorophores in the fluorophore sequence are separated from one another by a distance permitting interaction between adjacent fluorophores such that the macromolecule emits fluorescence at a plurality of wavelengths when irradiated by light to form a fluorescence emission spectrum, and wherein the fluorescence emission spectrum has a profile that is determined by the fluorophore sequence.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for securing access to confidential data using a blockchain ledger. An update to access permissions can be received from a first entity on behalf of a second entity, the update can change access permissions to a confidential data store. A smart contract that validates the update can be called. Upon consensus from a blockchain community, the update to the access permissions for the second entity can be executed. The blockchain community can be a plurality of different organizations that share access to the confidential data store, and the update can be appended to a blockchain ledger that stores access permissions for the blockchain community.

Abstract: A method of forming a dietary supplement can include steps of creating a composition of matter comprising tianeptine, sakae naa, and optionally, at least one of kava, CDP Choline, and Alpha GPC; and providing the composition of matter in a liquid or solid form. The ingredient of tianeptine can be tianeptine sodium, tianeptine free acid, or both. Providing the composition of matter can include filling a container with the composition of matter.

Abstract: A tool for feeding material into a mill having a roller and forming a nip gap. The tool broadly comprises a baseplate, a guide plate, and a ram. The baseplate is configured to be positioned on the mill over the roller and forms a slot. The guide plate is configured to be positioned in the slot of the baseplate near the nip gap. The guide plate forms a chute for feeding the material into the nip gap. The ram is configured to be inserted into the chute to urge the material into the nip gap while preventing a user's fingers and other foreign objects from nearing the nip gap through the chute.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.

Abstract: A method for managing a storage system includes initiating, by a hardware resource manager, a boot-up of a storage controller managing the storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices, making a determination, by the storage controller, that the storage controller is in a secured mode, based on the determination: identifying a security state of each of the plurality of storage devices, determining that a storage device of the plurality of storage devices is in an unsecured state, and based on the unsecured state, sending, by the storage controller, a security operation request for securing the storage device, obtaining a secure state response from the hardware resource manager corresponding to securing the storage device, and based on the secure state response, resuming operation of the storage controller based on the secure mode.

Abstract: A method of forming a dietary supplement can include steps of creating a composition of matter comprising tianeptine, sakae naa, and optionally, at least one of kava, CDP Choline, and Alpha GPC; and providing the composition of matter in a liquid or solid form. The ingredient of tianeptine can be tianeptine sodium, tianeptine free acid, or both. Providing the composition of matter can include filling a container with the composition of matter.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate scaffolds containing fluoridated apatites sintered at a temperature of at least 950° C. and with at least one integration aid to increase integration of the scaffold in a patient, as well as methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for securing access to confidential data using a blockchain ledger. An update to access permissions can be received from a first entity on behalf of a second entity, the update can change access permissions to a confidential data store. A smart contract that validates the update can be called. Upon consensus from a blockchain community, the update to the access permissions for the second entity can be executed. The blockchain community can be a plurality of different organizations that share access to the confidential data store, and the update can be appended to a blockchain ledger that stores access permissions for the blockchain community.

Abstract: A method of forming a dietary supplement can include steps of creating a composition of matter comprising tianeptine, kava, and optionally, at least one of CDP Choline, and Alpha GPC; and providing the composition of matter in a liquid or solid form. The ingredient of tianeptine can be tianeptine sodium, tianeptine free acid, or both. Providing the composition of matter can include filling a container with the composition of matter.

Abstract: A method of forming a dietary supplement can include steps of creating a composition of matter comprising tianeptine and GPC; and providing the composition of matter in a liquid or solid form. The ingredient of tianeptine can be tianeptine sodium, tianeptine free acid, or both. Providing the composition of matter can include filling a container with the composition of matter.

Abstract: A beverage can coupler includes a rigid cylindrical body having a first internal portion and a second internal portion. A spacer is located inside the body and separates the first internal portion from the second internal portion. The spacer has a through opening therein to allow fluid communication between the first internal portion and the second internal portion. A first piercing member is attached to the spacer and extends into the first internal portion and a second piercing member is attached to the spacer and extends into the second internal portion.

Abstract: A method of forming a dietary supplement can include steps of creating a composition of matter comprising tianeptine, CDP Choline, and optionally, Alpha GPC; and providing the composition of matter in a liquid or solid form. The ingredient of tianeptine can be tianeptine sodium, tianeptine free acid, or both. Providing the composition of matter can include filling a container with the composition of matter.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, one or more methods, and/or one or more processes may boot an operating system; after booting the operating system, determine that a solid state drive has been hot added to a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) port; suppress discovery of the solid state drive by the operating system; determine a policy associated with the solid state drive; determine that a current configuration associated with the solid state drive does not match a configuration associated with the policy associated with the solid state drive; determine that the configuration associated with the policy can be applied to the solid state drive; apply the configuration associated with the policy to the solid state drive without utilizing the operating system; and inform the operating system that the solid state drive has been communicatively coupled to at least one processor via a PCIe root complex.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Each of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is configured to be a source of light. The apparatus also comprises an optical arrangement configured to receive light from a plurality of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and to output a plurality of light beams.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, one or more methods, and/or one or more processes may boot an operating system; after booting the operating system, determine that a solid state drive has been hot added to a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) port; suppress discovery of the solid state drive by the operating system; determine a policy associated with the solid state drive; determine that a current configuration associated with the solid state drive does not match a configuration associated with the policy associated with the solid state drive; determine that the configuration associated with the policy can be applied to the solid state drive; apply the configuration associated with the policy to the solid state drive without utilizing the operating system; and inform the operating system that the solid state drive has been communicatively coupled to at least one processor via a PCIe root complex.