Abstract: The present disclosure provides approaches for reducing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in tobacco. Some of these approaches include genetically engineering tobacco plants to increase one or more antioxidants, increase oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), or reduce nitrite. Also provided are methods and compositions for producing modified tobacco plants and tobacco products therefrom comprising reduced TSNAs.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for controlling access to a seat based on payments. The method can include: reading, at a card reader located at a seat, payment information from a payment card; validating the payment information; sending a control signal to a locking device to unlock the seat; detecting that an occupant left the seat; and in response to detecting that the occupant left the seat, sending a control signal the locking device to lock the seat.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture to generate, by a neural network of a variational autoencoder, a latent vector for a first input image, generate, by the neural network of the variational autoencoder, a first reconstructed image by sampling the latent vector for the first input image, determine a reconstruction loss incurred in generating the first reconstructed image based at least in part on: (i) a difference of the first input image and the first reconstructed image, and (ii) a master model trained to detect a sensitive attribute in images, determine a total loss based at least in part on the reconstruction loss and a classification loss, and optimize a plurality of weights of the neural network of the variational autoencoder based on a backpropagation operation and the determined total loss, the optimized neural network trained to not consider the sensitive attribute in images.

Abstract: A system and method for determining drilling parameters based on hydraulic pressure associated with a directional drilling system are disclosed. A drilling parameter associated with a directional drilling system may be determined by measuring hydraulic pressure associated with the directional drilling system during drilling of a wellbore, detecting a change in the hydraulic pressure, and determining a drilling parameter based on the detected change in hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for augmenting project lists with price information. The method can include: capturing an image using a camera of a user device; identifying a project list within the captured image; extracting, from the captured image, a list of items associated with the project list, the list of items represented as text; retrieving price information for one or more of the list items; and displaying, on the user device, an augmented image comprising the captured image and the price information.

Abstract: Some embodiments of a smokeless tobacco system include one or more preformed smokeless tobacco products configured to generally retain their shape during processing, shipping, and consumer handling. In particular embodiments, each smokeless tobacco product can comprise a moist smokeless tobacco in combination with a selected binder such that the final product is configured to have material properties providing improved handling, an improved mouth feel, and a satisfying flavor profile.

Abstract: A method for automatically analyzing a personal service session and completing a transaction therefor, includes monitoring a service location with a video camera in communication with a processor, determining that the personal service session has begun based on an identification of at least one start trigger event, analyzing an output from the video camera including a plurality of frames of video data collected during the personal service session to identify a sequence of frames of the video data, automatically matching the sequence of frames to at least one type of service that was provided during the personal service session, determining that the personal service session has ended based on an identification of at least one end trigger event, determining a transaction value associated with the types of service that have been provided during the personal service session, and generating an electronic invoice based on the determined transaction value.

Abstract: The invention provides a polypeptide comprising a single domain CD4, as well as a fusion protein comprising the single domain CD4 and one or more fusion partners. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide or fusion protein, as well as compositions or cells comprising the polypeptide, fusion protein, or nucleic acid also are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for enhancing a vehicle identification with preprocessing. The system may comprise memory and processor devices to execute instructions for receiving an image depicting a vehicle. The image may be analyzed and first predicted identity and first confidence value may be determined. The first confidence value may be compared to a predetermined threshold. The processors may further select a processing technique for modifying the image and further analyze the modified image determining a second predicted identity of the vehicle. And a second confidence value may be determined. And the system may further compare the second confidence value to the predetermined threshold to select the first or second predicted identity for transmission to a user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for biometric authentication of a user using a personalised identification and associated biometric data. In one embodiment, a plurality of personalised identifiers and biometric data may be captured from a number of users and stored in a repository as stored records. The authentication process may be divided into two phases. In the first phase, either a speech recognition or character recognition process may be applied in order to determine the text spoken or written by the user. Subsequently a few records may be fetched from the repository on the basis of text mapping. In the second phase, biometric authentication may be performed by comparing the biometric sample with the stored biometric data corresponding to the fetched records to uniquely identify a single user. Further a machine learning technique may be applied in order to periodically refine a plurality of models stored in the repository.

Abstract: Communication systems and methods to transmit data among a plurality of computing systems in processing benefit redemption, including a portal configured to communicate with transaction terminals, reward hosts and issues processors. In response to a reward balance inquiry from a transaction terminal, the portal communicates with a respective reward host to obtain the balance, communicates with an issuer processor to obtain a one-time use account number, and provides the transaction terminal with the balance and the account number. The transaction terminal an authorization request for a payment transaction made using the account number. In response to the authorization request being received in the issuer processor, the portal communicates with the issuer processor to identify the payment transaction and communicates with the reward host to perform a reward redemption to support the payment transaction.

Abstract: Feature based visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) do not produce reliable camera and structure estimates due to insufficient features in a low-textured environment. Moreover, existing visual SLAMs produce partial reconstruction when the number of 3D-2D correspondences is insufficient for incremental camera estimation using bundle adjustment. Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide edge points based monocular visual SLAM that mitigates these problems. The SLAM is initialized through a validation process. A local optimization process is provided for stable pose estimation in situations where camera tracking becomes unreliable in a very low-textured challenging environment. An efficient and reliable loop closing process that uses structural properties of edges in the frames is also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments include a hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation. The system includes an electric pump, arranged on a first support structure, the electric pump coupled to a well associated with the subterranean formation and powered by at least one electric motor, and configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the subterranean formation and fractures the subterranean formation. The system also includes support equipment, arranged on a second support structure, electrically coupled to the electric pump, wherein the support equipment includes at least a transformer for distributing power to the electric pump, the power being received from at least one generator at a voltage higher than an operating voltage of the electric pump.

Abstract: A device receives receipt data of a receipt of a transaction for a product, and processes, using a term matching technique, the receipt data to identify transaction information including a transaction date and product information. The device determines that the transaction caused a user to be covered by or eligible for a warranty for the product, generates a tag identifying the product, and associates, using a data structure, the product information, data identifying the warranty, and the tag with a record of the transaction that is accessible via a program that allows the user to search for the receipt or terms of the warranty. The device performs actions associated with assisting the user in managing the warranty, such as by reminding the user of an expiration date of the warranty and/or by assisting the user in submitting a claim based on the warranty.

Abstract: An adhesive assembly can be used to join textile materials together creating a durable wash resistant. An emblem can be removed from a work shirt without leaving glue stains or residue. The shirt may be reused if emblems need to be removed or changed before the life of the garment expires. In various embodiments, a layer of mesh is incorporated into the heat activated glue on the back of the emblem. This mesh does not affect adherence to the garment. The emblem sticks just as well as without the mesh layer and with zero process changes to how the emblem is applied. The mesh allows for the complete removal of the adhesive from the garment when the patch is removed allowing the garment to be used even after the patch is removed.

Abstract: A toy projectile launcher for launching projectiles, e.g, toy foam darts, from a hopper. One or more agitating members inside the hopper to enable the projectiles to drop into a firing chamber under the hopper. A hopper cover has a collapsible ceiling with nested members and a ceiling plate to maintain the projectiles toward the bottom of the hopper. A catch coupled to the ceiling plate engages an opening in a hopper wall to prevent the ceiling from collapsing when the hopper cover is closed. Where there are multiple vertically spaced-apart openings in the hopper wall, the catch may disengage from a first opening, and then engage a lower, second opening in the hopper wall, as the number of projectiles in the hopper drops and the ceiling plate descends in the hopper. A rotating track and a push rod advance projectiles from the firing chamber to flywheels for launch.

Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to utilize signals acquired from a multi-component induction tool operating in a wellbore. The acquired signals can be correlated to apparent conductivity of a formation and mapped to components of an apparent conductivity tensor. For each receiver array operated by the multi-component induction tool, a combination of these components from the acquired signals can be generated. Combinations generated from different receivers of the multi-component induction tool can be mixed together. From such combinations, data, with respect to evaluation of formation around the wellbore, can be generated. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A device may receive a message from a first different device that includes an identifier and may determine whether the device has previously received the message. The device may generate, based on determining that the device has not previously received the message, an additional identifier and a message status indicator and may cause the additional identifier, the message, and the message status indicator to be stored in a data structure associated with the device. The device may send an acknowledgment status to the first different device and may cause processing of the message to generate an additional message that includes the additional identifier. The device may send the additional message to a second different device and may cause, after sending the additional message to the second different device, the message status indicator in the data structure to be updated.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to methods and systems to increase flow and throughput of particular data through the use of a machine readable code with portion analysis. The machine readable code may be generated by a transaction processing network and correspond with one or more resource provider computers. When data is received by the transaction processing network that corresponds with one of the resource provider computers, a portion of the machine readable code that is proportional to a size or measurement of the data may be provided in exchange for the data. The recipient of the portion of the code and, once the recipient collects a predetermined number of machine readable code portions to complete the machine readable code, the complete machine readable code may be scanned and transmitted back to the transaction processing network to be exchanged for additional information or to initiate further processing.