Abstract: Disclosed are imaging agents having the following Formula I: wherein F is a near infrared fluorophore, S is an enzymatically cleavable oligopeptide, Q is a fluorescence quencher molecule, and M is a moiety selected from the group consisting of PEG or derivative thereof and a targeting ligand, and wherein F, Q and M are linked to separate amino acids of the enzymatically cleavable oligopeptide. Compositions comprising such compounds, as well as methods of use, methods of identifying a cell or a population of cells in vivo expressing a protease of interest, and methods of treating a disease through imaging are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods of tracking distribution items using hardware components on or in the distribution items. Shippers and recipients of distribution items can track or locate a distribution item, especially a high value item, if the distribution item is lost, misrouted, or delayed.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for providing social discovery service operations. In one embodiment, a system for providing a social discovery service is disclosed. The system may be configured to receive transaction data relating to one or more purchase transactions involving one or more merchants and one or more consumers. The system may also be configured to receive product data identifying one or more products included in the one or more purchase transactions. The system may also receive location data associated with the one or more purchase transactions. Based on the transaction data, location data, and the product data, the system may be configured to generate one or more social discovery graphs. Further, the system may be configured to perform one or more social discovery operations based on the one or more social discovery graphs.

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: A system, method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a portable computing device (a smart phone device) in an area of proximity to a vendor to determine relevant pertinent information. A beacon device at a retail location establishes communication with a user's smart phone device which detection is then send to a remotely located server. The remotely located server determines if the detected portable computing device is associated with a predefined category of user. Contingent upon the category of user determination, a determination is made regarding information pertinent to the user. The pertinent information is then caused to be sent to the user's smart phone device.

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: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for user interface generation for transacting goods are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes receiving order data, user data, and other data. The method further includes determining, for a particular user, an order confidence score that corresponds to a likelihood that the particular user ordered a particular good from a particular vendor on a particular day. The method further includes receiving vendor-type mapping data. The method further includes determining a good-type confidence score that corresponds to the likelihood that the particular good or the particular vendor is associated with a particular type of good. The method further includes determining a composite confidence score. The method further includes storing the composite confidence score, data identifying the particular user, data identifying the particular type of good, and data identifying the particular date.

Abstract: Systems and methods involving a computer-implemented portal that enables a user to pre-authorize purchase of items not yet available for sale are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exemplary method may comprise: providing an online portal that enables a user to manage a financial account; executing a first routine of the portal including interactive functionality enabling the user to specify and pre-authorize purchase of an item that is not yet available for sale; searching to determine at least one electronic source at which the item can be purchased when it becomes available for purchase; and executing a purchase transaction at the future date/time when the item is released for sale, to purchase the item for the user.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is disclosed for a riser hanging system. The apparatus includes a first elongated member with a provision for a first external mechanical coupling at a distal location on the first elongated member. A second elongated member is mechanically coupled to the first elongated member at proximal locations on the first elongated member and the second elongated member. A third member is mechanically coupled to a first portion of the first elongated member. The third member includes a fourth member to move through at least a second portion of a length of the second elongated member. Mechanical couplers associated with the second elongated member are provided for a second external mechanical coupling of the riser to the apparatus. The riser may be hoisted using the apparatus for better control during coupling to the wellhead.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for a feedback based toolface control system for a rotary steerable drilling tool is disclosed. The method includes determining a desired toolface of a drilling tool, calculating a toolface error, calculating a correction to correct the toolface error by: estimating, using a model, an output of each of a plurality of states of the model based on an input to each of the states of the model and determining a desired input to each of the plurality of states, beginning at the toolface, based on a desired output of at least one of the plurality of states connected to a particular state, transmitting the signal to the input component of the drilling tool such that the signal adjusts the current toolface based on the correction, and drilling a wellbore with a drill bit oriented at the desired toolface.

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: 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: The technology described herein detects a first device associated with a user that is within a detectable range of a second device. The system requests authentication information. In response to receiving the authentication information, a token generator associated with the user can generate a secure token. The secure token can be sent to the server. Once the secure token is verified, the user is granted access to one or more services.

Abstract: Downhole drilling tools designed and manufactured to minimize or reduce imbalance forces and wear by disposing cutting elements in cutter groups and cutter sets in a level of force balance and by placing impact and/or wear resistant cutters on blades subject to high impact forces and/or large loadings. Manufacturing costs may be reduced by placing inexpensive cutters on blades not subject to high impact forces and/or loadings. Some embodiments comprise designing downhole tools with combinations of thicker blades to receive high impact forces and/or loadings with thinner blades. Some embodiments comprise designing downhole drilling tools with optimized fluid-flow properties. Designing methods may comprise performing simulations on a designed tool, evaluating respective forces acting on cutters during simulated engagement with a downhole (uniform and transitional) and/or evaluating wear on cutters and bit, and/or CFD simulations to evaluate fluid-flow optimization on a tool.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to image processing, and more particularly to generate a high resolution image from multiple low resolution images. In an embodiment, the system collects a plurality of low resolution images as input, processes the collected images, and generates a high resolution image as output. During this process, the system pre-processes the collected low resolution images, and during this process, at least one characteristic of each of the low resolution image is changed with respect to a reference image. After the pre-processing stage, the images are then enhanced based on a plurality of final enhancement factors that are dynamically determined. Further, the enhanced images are fused to generate the high resolution image.

Abstract: A method of forming a heater assembly of an e-vaping device includes bending a wire to form a first lobe and bending the wire to form a second lobe. The first lobe and the second lobe form a generally sinuously-shaped heater having a first set of lobes and a second set of lobe. A first apex of the first lobe is generally opposite a second apex of the second lobe. The method may also include curling the first set of lobes towards the second set of lobes to form a heater having a substantially tubular form. The heater defines an opening there through.

Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system may be configured to detect adverse conditions (e.g., a dry heater). The system may comprise an electric heater comprising at least one heating element for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and electric circuitry connected to the electric heater and to the power supply and comprising a memory. The electric circuitry may be configured to measure an initial electrical resistance (R1) of the electric heater; measure a subsequent electrical resistance of the electric heater after the measurement of the initial electrical resistance; determine the difference (?R) between the initial electrical resistance and the subsequent electrical resistance; determine that an adverse condition is present if the difference is greater than a maximum threshold value (?Rmax) or less than a minimum threshold value (?Rmin) stored in the memory; and control a power to the electric heater and/or provide an indication if the adverse condition is present.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods of reducing growth of prostate cancer cells and breast cancer cells, which comprises treating such cancer cells with a combination of androgen or endocrine deprivation therapy (e.g., enzalutamide, abiraterone, and tamoxifen) and immunotherapy.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods for selecting a treatment option for an activated B cell-like diffuse large B cell lymphoma (ABC DLBCL) subject, a germinal center B cell-like diffuse large B cell lymphoma (GCB DLBCL) subject, a primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBL) subject, a Burkitt lymphoma (BL) subject, or a mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) subject by analyzing digital gene expression data obtained from the subject, e.g., from a biopsy sample.