Abstract: The disclosure relates to processes for extracting lithium from an uncalcined lithium-bearing silicate and recovering a lithium salt therefrom. A slurry of the uncalcined lithium-bearing silicate and a caustic solution is heated in an autoclave to provide a Li-rich sodalite phase. The Li-rich sodalite phase is leached with a dilute acid to produce a lithium-rich pregnant liquor. Various subsequent processes to treat the lithium-rich pregnant liquor to recover a lithium salt, such as lithium phosphate, lithium carbonate, lithium sulphate or lithium hydroxide, are described.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for quantifying a biomarker of a biological tissue. Two spectral sub-intervals are determined from a plurality of images of the tissue acquired at discrete wavelengths within a main wavelength interval using an imaging sensor in a manner such that the combination of the image data in the at least two spectral sub-intervals are correlated with a clinical variable of interest. The tissue is illuminated using one or more light sources with wavelengths within the at least two spectral sub-intervals. A measurement is of the light reflected by the tissue is acquired using an imaging sensor; and a measure of the biomarker of the tissue is calculated using the acquired measurement. The main wavelength interval is broader than each of the at least two spectral sub-intervals and at least one spectral confounder causing a spectral variability of the acquired image is present in the tissue.

Abstract: An electromagnetic coupler including: a substrate; and a first conductor mounted to the substrate for receiving a first electromagnetic signal, the first conductor having a first multiple arcuate edge; a second conductor mounted to the substrate, the second conductor being spaced apart from the first conductor and having a second multiple arcuate edge that is opposed to the first edge for generating in the second conductor a second electromagnetic signal that is derived from the first electromagnetic signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing total gas production and/or methane production in a ruminant animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and devices for attracting, trapping and/or monitoring insects, more particularly Carpophilus beetles, such as stone fruit beetle and almond beetle. The described compositions and devices include novel mixtures for attracting Carpophilus beetles, including compositions for selectively attracting and trapping specific species of Carpophilus beetle.

Abstract: A method of integrating or fusing at least a part of a retina and at least one of a retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and choroid underlying the retina and the RPE is disclosed. The method comprises photodehydrating at least some proximal fluid separating one or more of the retina, the RPE and the underlying choroid, with photodehydrating laser light to thereby allow direct contact between the retina and at least one or more of the RPE and choroid. The method further comprises drying at least some of the proximal fluid with a gas flowing at a rate of up to 200 ml/min and photocoagulating with photocoagulating laser light to thereby integrate or fuse at least part of the retina with one or both of the RPE and choroid. Also provided are a device and a system for integrating or fusing these tissues.

Abstract: In response to receiving a text describing a news event, a centralized information provider applies semantic rules to the text to determine to which client attributes the text corresponds. The centralized information provider retrieves, from an electronic database, (i) identifiers for multiple clients, (ii) a set of client attributes for each of the clients, and (iii) for each of the clients, an identifier of a respective service provider. The centralized information provider then generates a metric of relevance of the news event for each of the clients, based on the client attributes of the client and the client attributes to which the text was determined to correspond. The centralized information provider transmits, to at least one service provider, an electronic alert message descriptive of the news event and an indication of a set of clients of the service provider for distribution to some or all of the set of clients.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer (30), comprising: a support structure (36); an active assembly comprising a base plate (32) supported by the support structure (36) and a piezoelectric body (34) supported by the base plate (32); and a passive vibrator (38) supported by the support structure (36) and coupled via the support structure (36) to the active assembly (32, 34) so that vibration of the active assembly (32, 34) drives the passive vibrator (38). The active assembly (32, 34) and the passive vibrator (38) have the same resonant frequency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endophyte strain isolated from a plant of the Poaceae family, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Pseudomonas poae which provides bioprotection and/or biofertilizer phenotypes to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also plants infected with the endophyte and related methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to bioavailable (which may also be referred to as plant available) silicon, such as in the form of a concentrate or solid, and processes for producing and using bioavailable silicon.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to learning with transformed data such as determining multiple training samples from multiple data samples. Each of the multiple data samples comprises one or more feature values and a label that classifies that data sample. A processor determines each of the multiple training samples by randomly selecting a subset of the multiple data samples, and combining the feature values of the data samples of the subset based on the label of each of the data samples of the subset. Since the training samples are combinations of randomly chosen data samples, the training samples can be provided to third parties without disclosing the actual training data. This is an advantage over existing methods in cases where the data is confidential and should therefore not be shared with a learner of a classifier, for example.

Abstract: Described herein is an energy harvesting system comprising a transducer and a processor. The transducer generates an electric signal from ambient energy. The processor is configured to process the electric signal to perform pattern recognition of the electric signal so as to determine and output a characteristic of a source of the ambient energy. The pattern recognition comprises statistical analysis and frequency domain analysis.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for fertility prediction in animals, and in particular dairy cows. The methods allow detection of the likelihood of conception upon insemination of a cow based on the analysis of properties of milk of the cow, and in particular the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum of the milk. Such methods also enable selection of cows for insemination and fertility classification of cows. Software and systems for carrying out the methods of the invention are also provided. The present invention also provides methods for deriving reference MIR spectra representative cows with good or poor likelihoods of conception upon insemination. These reference MIR spectra can be used for fertility prediction in cows to be tested.

Abstract: A high speed split receiver interface system for sensing a series of external signals, the system including: a series of remote radio head units for receiving a sensed signal in an analog electric form, each of the remote radio head units converting their sensed signal to a corresponding digital electrical form and then to a corresponding optical data form for dispatch over an optical data interconnection; at least one optical interconnect interconnecting each remote radio head unit with a baseband unit; a first baseband unit interconnecting the series of remote head units corresponding optical interconnects, and including a converter for conversion of the received optical signals to corresponding electrical digital form and down sampling the optical signals to corresponding down sampled signals, a memory store for storing the down sampled signals, and an external network interface for transmission of the saved signals to an external device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endophyte strain isolated from a plant of the Poaceae family, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Stenoptrophomonas rhizophila which provides bioprotection and/or biofertilizer phenotypes to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also discloses plants infected with the endophyte and related methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endophyte strain isolated from a plant of the Poaceae family, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Xanthomonas sp. which provides bioprotection and/or biofertilizer phenotypes to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also discloses plants infected with the endophyte and related methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endophyte strain isolated from a plant of the Poaceae family, wherein said endophyte is a strain of Erwinia gerundensis which provides bioprotection and/or biofertilizer phenotypes to plants into which it is inoculated. The present invention also discloses plants infected with the endophyte and related methods.

Abstract: A fluid transfer apparatus is illustrated and described. The fluid transfer apparatus includes a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a fluid transfer device. The fluid inlet is associated with a fluid receptacle receiving portion, and the fluid receptacle receiving portion is configured to receive and engage at least a portion of a fluid receptacle. The fluid transfer apparatus is configurable between a first isolation state, in which the fluid transfer device is isolated from the fluid receptacle, such that the fluid container is fluidically isolated from the fluid inlet, to a second coupled state, in which the fluid transfer device is engaged with the fluid receptacle, such that the fluid receptacle is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet.

Abstract: Described is device for monitoring an activity. The device comprises a transducer that generates electric power from the activity and an energy store that stores the electric power over consecutive time intervals. The device further comprises a transmitter that periodically transmits the stored energy as an activity pulse indicative of an activity classification.

Abstract: Described is an energy harvesting system comprising a transducer that generates an electric signal from ambient energy, and a processor adapted to process the electric signal to determine and output a characteristic of a source of the ambient energy. The characteristic may be a spoken word classification.