Abstract: An aerosol-generating device for heating an aerosol-generating article is provided, the device including: a housing having an opening; a chamber disposed within the housing, and configured to receive at least a portion of the article through the opening; a heater assembly disposed within the housing and including a heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the chamber; and a holding mechanism including at least one holding member disposed at or proximate to the opening of the housing and configured to move between: a first position, in which the article can be inserted into the chamber via the opening, and a second position, in which the holding member has reduced a size of the opening relative to another size of the opening when the holding member is in the first position.

Abstract: Described herein are Fc variants and methods for the efficient production of antibodies and other multimeric protein complexes (collectively referred to herein as heteromultimeric proteins). Heteromultimeric proteins may be capable of specifically binding to more than one target. The targets may be, for example, different epitopes on a single molecule or located on different molecules. The methods combine efficient, high gene expression level, appropriate assembly, and ease of purification for the heteromultimeric proteins. The invention also provides methods of using these heteromultimeric proteins, and compositions, kits and articles of manufacture comprising these antibodies.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, initiating first and second groups of communication sessions according to testing criteria where the first group of communication sessions is established via a local area wireless access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system and the second group of communication sessions is established via the second radio access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system, and measuring performance data for the first and second groups of communication sessions according to the testing criteria. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method for production of a slurry for homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: Selecting tobacco of one or more tobacco types; Coarse grinding said tobacco; Blending said tobacco of one or more tobacco types; and Fine grinding said tobacco of one or more tobacco types.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method for production of a slurry for homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: —Selecting tobacco of one or more tobacco types; —Coarse grinding said tobacco; —Blending said tobacco of one or more tobacco types; and—Fine grinding said tobacco of one or more tobacco types.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to produce a homogenized tobacco material for use in a heat-not-burn aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: —selecting a first target value for a first tobacco characteristic, said first tobacco characteristic being reducing sugars and the first target value being comprised between about (8) percent and about (18) percent in dry weight basis of a total amount of tobacco present within the homogenized tobacco material; —selecting a second target value of a second tobacco characteristic, wherein the second tobacco characteristic is one of total ammonia and total alkaloids; —blending graded tobacco types so as to form the tobacco blend, each graded tobacco type comprising a predetermined amount of the first and second tobacco characteristics, so that the first and second target values of said first and second tobacco characteristics are obtained in said blend within a predetermined tolerance range; —grinding said tobacco blend into a blended tobacco powder;

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparation of a slurry for the production of a homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: —suspending a binder in an aerosol-former to form a suspension; —creating a cellulose pulp from cellulose fibers and water; —providing a tobacco powder blend; and —combining said suspension of binder in aerosol-former, said cellulose pulp and said tobacco powder blend to form said slurry.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method including at a server in communication with at least first and second collaboration endpoints each located within a same physical space: determining a relative positioning of the first and second collaboration endpoints; and configuring content displayed at each of the first and second endpoints based on the relative positioning of the first and second collaboration endpoints is disclosed.

Abstract: An eyeshield made of flexible transparent plastic is attached to the underside of a curved brim of an article of headwear by a connection which will let the eyeshield flex from an open, viewable position to a closed hidden position. By utilizing the formed curvature of the brim, the eyeshield can be flexed into a concaved closed position against the underside of the brim. By manually pulling the rear, unattached edge of the eyeshield down from the stored position, the eyeshield will flex into a convex shape and lock into an open, viewable position perpendicular to the brim of the article of headwear.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, initiating first and second groups of communication sessions according to testing criteria where the first group of communication sessions is established via a local area wireless access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system and the second group of communication sessions is established via the second radio access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system, and measuring performance data for the first and second groups of communication sessions according to the testing criteria. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, and specially configured machines are described for hosting an instance of a cross-realm zone that manages interaction among characters from different instances of a virtual world in a massively multiplayer online game. Different zones of the virtual world may support different numbers of realms or different combinations of realms, and some zones of the virtual world may remain as single-realm zones. When a character enters a zone, the character may be added to an instance of a cross-realm zone based on the virtual world for which the character is a member. A single cross-realm zone may handle all characters that enter the zone from a subset of realms, but not characters that enter the zone from other realms that are not in the subset of realms. Characters in a cross-realm zone might not have any affiliation or prior social connection or interaction with each other.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, initiating first and second groups of communication sessions according to testing criteria where the first group of communication sessions is established via a local area wireless access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system and the second group of communication sessions is established via the second radio access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system, and measuring performance data for the first and second groups of communication sessions according to the testing criteria. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for dynamically changing the master audio playback device of a set that includes at least two audio playback devices, wherein one audio playback device of the set is a set master audio playback device that controls the play of audio data by at least one other slave audio playback device of the set. A first slave audio playback device receives its selection as a new recipient of audio data and, in response, the first slave audio playback device is designated as a new set master audio playback device and the set master audio playback device is designated as a new slave audio playback device. The new set master audio playback device controls the play of audio by the new slave audio playback device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: —pulping and refining cellulose fibres to obtain fibres having a mean size comprised between about 0.2 millimetres and about 4 millimetres; —grinding a blend of tobacco of one or more tobacco types to a tobacco powder having a mean size comprised between about 0.03 millimetres and about 0.12 millimetres; —combining the pulp with the tobacco powder blend of different tobacco types and with a binder in an amount comprised between about 1 percent and about 5 percent in dry weight basis of the total weight of the homogenized tobacco material, so as to form a slurry; —homogenizing the slurry; and—forming the homogenized tobacco material from the slurry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method for production of a slurry for homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: —Selecting tobacco of one or more tobacco types; —Coarse grinding said tobacco; —Blending said tobacco of one or more tobacco types; and —Fine grinding said tobacco of one or more tobacco types.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to produce a homogenized tobacco material for use in a heat-not-burn aerosol-generating article, comprising the steps of: —selecting a first target value for a first tobacco characteristic, said first tobacco characteristic being reducing sugars and the first target value being comprised between about (8) percent and about (18) percent in dry weight basis of a total amount of tobacco present within the homogenized tobacco material; —selecting a second target value of a second tobacco characteristic, wherein the second tobacco characteristic is one of total ammonia and total alkaloids; —blending graded tobacco types so as to form the tobacco blend, each graded tobacco type comprising a predetermined amount of the first and second tobacco characteristics, so that the first and second target values of said first and second tobacco characteristics are obtained in said blend within a predetermined tolerance range; —grinding said tobacco blend into a blended tobacco powder;

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparation of a slurry for the production of a homogenized tobacco material, said method comprising: —suspending a binder in an aerosol-former to form a suspension; —creating a cellulose pulp from cellulose fibers and water; —providing a tobacco powder blend; and —combining said suspension of binder in aerosol-former, said cellulose pulp and said tobacco powder blend to form said slurry.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, providing testing criteria to a probe device located at a venue enabling the probe device to perform testing of first communication services via a first wireless access technology utilizing a distributed antenna system of the venue and testing of second communication services via a second wireless access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system according to the testing criteria, and receiving performance data from a database server responsive to the data query, where the performance data is representative of test results generated from the testing of the first and second communication services by the probe device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, initiating first and second groups of communication sessions according to testing criteria where the first group of communication sessions is established via a local area wireless access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system and the second group of communication sessions is established via the second radio access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system, and measuring performance data for the first and second groups of communication sessions according to the testing criteria. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring video assets provided by a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) includes an expert test monitoring platform (ETMP) configured to emulate MCDN client systems at a facility of an MCDN service provider. The ETMP may allow execution of ETMP scripts that specify remote control commands to send to a desired plurality of multimedia handling devices representing emulated MCDN clients. The ETMP scripts may be manually or automatically initiated and may be configured with execution parameters specifying, among other aspects, a number of iterations to repeat. Results recorded when the ETMP script executes may be retrieved and used to generate reports.