Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for creating and managing smart contracts on a blockchain is provided. A method includes receiving smart contract code; detecting a code language of the smart contract code; determining an optimal blockchain platform to deploy the smart contract onto; compiling the smart contract code so as to generate smart contract byte code and metadata; storing the smart contract byte code and the metadata; deploying the smart contract byte code to the optimal blockchain platform; receiving an address of the smart contract deployed to the optimal blockchain platform; assigning a name to the address; and storing the assigned name and the address in a smart contract naming directory; wherein a smart contract computing system is configured to identify the address of the deployed smart contract in response to receiving the name from a user.

Abstract: Security design and architecture for a multi-tenant Hadoop cluster are disclosed. In one embodiment, in a multi-tenant Hadoop cluster comprising a plurality of tenants and a plurality of applications, a method for identifying, naming, and creating a multi-tenant directory structure in a multi-tenant Hadoop cluster may include (1) identifying a plurality of groups for a directory structure selected from the group consisting of a superuser group, a plurality of tenant groups, and at least one application group; (2) creating an active directory for each of the groups; (3) adding each of a plurality of users to one of the plurality of tenant groups and the application group; (4) creating tenant directories and home directories for the users; and (5) assigning owners, group owners, default permissions, and extended access control lists to the tenant directories and the home directories.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for tomosynthesis image reconstruction. It is described to provide (210) a first projection image data set and a second projection image data set acquired after acquisition of the first projection image data set, wherein, the first projection image data set comprises first projection data, and the second projection image data set comprises second projection data, and wherein the first projection image data set is useable for the reconstruction of a tomosynthesis image of at least a region of interest of a body part and wherein the second projection image data set is useable for the reconstruction of a tomosynthesis image of at least the region of interest of the body part. A subset of the first projection data is selected (220).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of at least a portion of a body (10) placed in a main magnetic field within the examination volume of a MR device (1). It is an object of the invention to facilitate the planning of an arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging session and to improve the image quality in perfusion weighted MR imaging. The method of the invention comprises the following steps: acquiring angiographic MR signal data by subjecting the portion of the examined body (10) to one or more MR angiography scans; deriving quantitative blood flow parameters from the angiographic MR signal data; —computing a labeling efficiency of an ASL sequence from the sequence parameters of the ASL sequence and from the quantitative blood flow parameters; optimizing the sequence parameters by maximizing the labeling efficiency; acquiring perfusion weighted MR signal data by subjecting the portion of the body to the ASL sequence; and—reconstructing a MR image from the perfusion weighted MR signal data.

Abstract: The invention provides improved nucleotide sequences and nucleic acids that encode glycine serine linkers and that use an excess of GGA, GGG, and GGT/GGU codons to encode the glycine residues. The invention further relates to nucleotide sequences and nucleic acids that encode (fusion) proteins and polypeptides comprising glycine serine linkers, which nucleotide sequences and nucleic acids comprise such improved nucleotide sequences and nucleic acids of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a holding plate for a vacuum cleaner filter bag, comprising a base plate made of a plastic and having a passage opening formed therein, and a sealing membrane made of an elastic plastic material, which covers the passage opening and which is connected to the base plate, wherein the sealing membrane has a slit in the area of the passage opening, wherein the sealing membrane is, at least sectionwise, provided with a thickened area along the slit.

Abstract: A delay line includes a delay chain, a pulse generator generating a pulse based on a received input signal, and a delay chain control circuit. The delay chain control circuit has a first input receiving the pulse, a second input receiving output from a last element of the delay chain, and a selection input receiving a delayed version of the received input signal. The delay chain control circuit has an output coupled to provide input to a first element of the delay chain in response to the delayed version of the received input signal. An output selection circuit receives outputs from each element of the delay chain, counts assertions of the output of the last element of the delay chain and, in response to the count being equal to a desired count, passes a desired one of the outputs of the elements of the delay chain as output.

Abstract: A method, device and non-transitory computer readable medium for randomized multi-factor authentication with biometrics includes randomly selecting one of a plurality of biometrics in response to a request from a client device. At least the randomly selected biometric is requested from the requesting client device. A match of the requested randomly selected biometric received from the requesting client device against stored biometric information above a set threshold is verified. Access for the request is granted when the verification indicates the match.

Abstract: An analog to digital converter (ADC) includes a conversion circuit digitizing an input analog signal to produce an output digital signal. A current generator generates a constant bias current. A current mirror circuit includes an input transistor receiving the constant bias current, an output transistor in a mirroring relationship with the input transistor and generating a variable bias current, and a parallel transistor circuit selectively coupling a parallel transistor in parallel with the input transistor or the output transistor in response to a control signal. The control signal is representative of the conversion rate of the ADC. A buffer generates a common mode voltage for use by the conversion circuit, from the variable bias current.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method for the manufacture of immunoglobulin single variable domains. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of producing immunoglobulin single variable domains in which the proportion of carbamylated variants is strongly reduced or absent and to improved immunoglobulin single variable domains obtainable by methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel formulation comprising a benzimidazole derivative. The formulation for oral administration comprising a compound of Formula 1 according to the present invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and at least one disintegrant selected from the group consisting of croscarmellose sodium, sodium starch glycolate and low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose, exhibits an excellent storage stability and has an effect on preventing a phenomenon of decline in dissolution rate, thus being usefully used as a formulation for oral administration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a retainer plate for a vacuum cleaner filter bag, comprising a base plate in which a passage opening is formed, and a sealing element which is arranged at the edge of the passage opening, wherein the sealing element comprises at least one extruded film made of a thermoplastic elastomer, TPE.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus, including: an objective configured to receive diffracted radiation from a metrology target having positive and negative diffraction order radiation; an optical element configured to separate the diffracted radiation into portions separately corresponding to each of a plurality of different values or types of one or more radiation characteristics and separately corresponding to the positive and negative diffraction orders; and a detector system configured to separately and simultaneously measure the portions.

Abstract: An alignment system configured to be substantially insensitive to thermal variations in its system during alignment measurements. The alignment system includes a sensor system, a support structure, a sensing element, a position measurement system, and an athermal interface between the sensing element and the support structure. The sensor system is configured to determine a position of an alignment mark on a substrate and the support structure is configured to support the sensor system. The sensing element is configured to detect an unintentional displacement of the support structure and the position measurement system is configured to measure the unintentional displacement relative to a reference element based on the detected unintentional displacement. The athermal interface is configured to prevent detection of temperature induced displacement of the support structure by the sensing element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an illustration of an annotation (22) at a sample slide (14). It is the intention for the invention to copy the annotation (22) provided at a reference slide (12) to the sample slide (14). Typically, a reference image (26) of the reference slide (12) is provided, in particular by scanning the reference slide (12). The reference image (26) therefore has the information about a reference slice (16) which is carried by the reference slide (12). Furthermore, the reference slide (12) has been marked with a region of interest (20) and the annotation (22), which can be associated with the region of interest (20). If such reference slide (12) is scanned, the respective reference image (26) comprises the information about the marked region of interest (20) as well as the annotation (22), too. Furthermore, the sample slide (14) carrying a sample slice (18) can be scanned, in order to provide a sample image (28).

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (100, 200, 300) for treating cells of a subject comprising at least one transducer (102, 224) with a vibrating surface (116). The transducer further comprises an applicator (118, 600) for attaching the vibrating surface to an outer surface of the subject (108, 218). The transducer is operable to vibrate at a frequency between 10 Hz and 1000 Hz. The medical apparatus further comprises a controller (104, 222, 230) for controlling the vibration of the transducer. The controller is operable for causing the transducer to vibrate for greater than a predetermined period of time for treating the cells. The predetermined period of time is greater than one hour.

Abstract: An ultrasound device includes a transducer array (404) formed on a first side of a substrate (402). A through via (406) passes through a thickness of the substrate between the first side and a second side, opposite the first side. A conductor (410) is electrically coupled to the through via on the second side to provide signals to and from the transducer array.

Abstract: The invention describes a passive heat-flow sensor (1) comprising a contact face (11) for placement on a subject (8) during a temperature monitoring procedure; and a plurality of combined thermistor arrangements, wherein a combined thermistor arrangement comprises an inner thermistor (S1) arranged at an inner face of the sensor (1); an upper thermistor (S2) arranged at the upper surface of the sensor (1) and arranged relative to the inner thermistor (S1) to measure a vertical heat flow outward from the subject (8); and a lateral thermistor (S3) arranged relative to the inner thermistor (S1) to measure a horizontal heat flow along the contact face (11). The invention further describes a method of measuring the temperature of a subject (8) using a heat-flow sensor (1); and a temperature sensing arrangement (10) for monitoring the temperature of a subject (8) using a heat-flow sensor (1).

Abstract: Systems and methods for predictive technology incident reduction are disclosed. In one embodiment, in an information processing apparatus comprising at least one computer processor, a method for predictive technology incident reduction may include: (1) receiving a change record for a proposed change to a computer application or a computer network infrastructure; (2) analyzing the potential change for an adverse potential cross impact with another computer application or a computer system; (3) predicting a probability of failure and an impact of the proposed change using a model; (4) in response to a low predicted probability of failure, or a high predicted probability of failure with a low predicted impact: approving the proposed change; and implementing the proposed change; and (5) in response to a high predicted probability of failure and a high predicted impact, rejecting the proposed change.