Abstract: A system for differentiating between oil spots and non-oil spots in a wrapped article comprising a web and a wrapped material. The system includes a heat source that applies heat to a wrapped article for a predetermined amount of time when the wrapped article is placed in a sample area on a surface that is arranged at a predetermined distance away from a heating element of the heat source; and a light source that provides backlighting to the web of the wrapped article when the web has been separated from the wrapped material and placed on a viewing surface of the light source. A method for differentiating between oil spots and non-oil spots in wrapped articles and a field test kit are also provided.

Abstract: A mobile automobile information system and methods are described. Data such as images may be captured from a vehicle dealer sticker with a mobile device and analyzed. The sticker may contain machine-readable information such as a barcode. The collected data may be analyzed to determine vehicle and vehicle related information. Dealer information and vehicle purchase related information may also be generated. The results of the analysis may be provided to the user's mobile device. Purchase assistance may be provided to the user through the mobile device, answering user inquiries and providing vehicle purchase information to the user during the purchase process.

Abstract: A code evaluation tool greatly reduces time, cost, and other resource expenditures needed to validate that an application implements desired functionality. The tool is a search, navigation and visualization tool that accepts high-level processing concepts as inputs to identify, rank, and return the code of a recommended application. A software developer may use the tool to validate that functional requirements are met by the recommended application. The tool provides an efficient way to improve the evaluation of application logic to validate that the application meets specified functional requirement and implements the desired high-level processing concepts.

Abstract: A survey tool for use in a Recover to Cloud (R2C) replication service environment that determines configuration information automatically (such as through SNMP messaging or custom APIs) and stores it in a survey database. A Virtual Data Center (VDC) representation is then instantiated from the survey database, with the VDC being a virtual replica of the production environment including dormant Virtual Machine (VM) definition files, applications, storage requirements, VLANs firewalls, and the like. The survey tool determines the order in which the replicas are brought on line to ensure orderly recovery, by determining the order in which each machine makes requests for connections to other machines.

Abstract: Methods of stabilizing water-sensitive clays in subterranean formations may include introducing a drill-in treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation comprising water-sensitive minerals, where providing the drill-in treatment fluid comprises an aqueous-based fluid and a hydrophobically-modified cationic polymer; and allowing the hydrophobically-modified cationic polymer to at least partially coat the water-sensitive mineral.

Abstract: In a method for splitting an image for encoding purposes, a largest coding unit (LCU) of the image is obtained, the LCU divided into a plurality of 2N×2N blocks, the 2N×2N blocks examined sequentially, and a determination made as to whether or not the current 2N×2N block needs to be split according to a pixel variance of the current 2N×2N block. The method further determines whether a block merging operation needs to be executed for the LCUs according to an average value of pixels of each of the 2N×2N blocks if the current 2N×2N block does not need to be split.

Abstract: A system is described for relative positioning of tags in a real time locating system. The system may include a memory and a processor in communication with the memory. The memory may store layout information for a work area which includes architectural and infrastructure attributes. The processor may determine a number of access points to position in the work area. The processor may determine a placement of a tag in the work area based on readings gathered by the access points. The processor may further determine a level of accuracy for a location of the tag within the work area. The processor may provide a graphical representation of the positioning of the access points in the work area, as well as an indication of the accuracy of the tag within the work area.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for secure logon. One or more method includes: determining, via authentication information provided by a user of an electronic device, that the user is authorized to access an online account provided by the online account provider; providing the user with a selectable option to enable an expedited logon process by which the user can access the online account by solely providing a particular authentication item of the user; receiving a verification credential in response to a next logon attempt using the expedited logon process; and verifying that the received verification credential matches an assigned verification credential provided to the user for use in conjunction with the next logon attempt using the expedited logon process.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus including a barrier, an optical detector, and a control system. The optical detector secured to the barrier and configured to detect indicia having a predetermined pattern. The control system includes a processor in communication with the optical detector, a transmitter in communication with the processor, and a memory unit in communication with the processor. The memory unit stores a unique identifier associated with the patient support apparatus. The processor receiving a signal from the optical detector indicative of data detected by the optical detector and performing a set of instructions in response to the optical detector communicating the data, the set of instructions performed by the processor including (i) linking the data with the unique identifier, and (ii) communicating the linked data and unique identifier to a network.

Abstract: Biometric authentication technology, in which biometric data is maintained for a group of people. The biometric data includes sorted similarity scores, where each of the sorted similarity scores is computed to represent similarity between a corresponding biometric image and a reference image. A biometric verification system accesses a biometric image of at least a portion of a person, accesses the reference image, and computes a similarity score that represents similarity between the accessed biometric image and the reference image. The biometric verification system searches the sorted similarity scores included in the biometric data using the computed similarity score and outputs a result based on the searching.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are encased underwire assemblies and methods of manufacturing such assemblies for attachment to an article of clothing. An encased underwire assembly may comprise an underwire having an inner radius, an outer radius, a first end and a second end, and a fabric enclosure having a first fastened side adjacent the inner radius, a first sealed end adjacent the first end, and a second sealed end adjacent the second end of the underwire. In a method of manufacturing such assembly, a fabric enclosure may be created by bringing together opposite side edges of a fabric layer and fastening the opposite side edges to one another, inserting an underwire into a first open end of the fabric enclosure until a first end and a second end of the underwire are housed within the fabric enclosure, and sealing the first open end and a second open end of the fabric enclosure.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for arranging for shipping a package without the customer needing to generate or apply a shipping label, or any other information, to the package. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a carrier server and a carrier device. The carrier server may receive and store a smart code and shipping information associated with the package, which it may link together. The carrier device may capture the smart code from the package and send a request, including the smart code, to the carrier server for related shipping information. The carrier server may receive the request from the carrier device, retrieve the shipping information based on the smart code, and send the shipping information to the carrier device. The carrier device may receive the shipping information and generate a shipping label for the package based on the shipping information.

Abstract: A clean metal ingot mold comprises an ingot mold body and an insulating riser arranged on the ingot mold body. The bottom mold plate of the ingot mold is provided with at least a ridge connected thereto. The region having a V-shape containing impurities produced during the crystallization process of the liquid metal moves upwards because of the ridge, and then the impurities depart from the center of the cast ingot and the impurities are more centralized. A water-cooling device is arranged in the ridge to allow the temperature of the metal in the ingot mold to decrease rapidly, and the crystallization process of the metal to be rapid.

Abstract: Methods of making particulates for use in a subterranean application comprising: providing particulates of a settable composition comprising a cementitious material, a filler material, and an activator of the cementitious material; and pre-curing the particulates until the particulates reach a crush strength of about 50 psi or greater; and curing the pre-cured particulates at a temperature in the range of about 230° F. to about 600° F., so that at least a portion of the particulates comprise a newly formed crystalline phase.

Abstract: A method of treating a portion of a well of a well. The method includes the step of forming a treatment fluid comprising: (i) a continuous aqueous phase; (ii) a viscosity increasing agent selected from the group consisting of diutan, clarified diutan, water-soluble derivative of diutan, and any combination thereof, wherein the viscosity-increasing agent is dissolved in the aqueous phase; and (iii) a breaker comprising oxalic acid, wherein the oxalic acid is dissolved in the aqueous phase. The viscosity of the treatment fluid breaks to less than 3.0 cP in less than 72 hours when in a temperature range of 180° F. (82.2° C.) to 220° F. (104.4° C.). The method also includes the steps of introducing the treatment fluid into the portion of the well and flowing back from the portion of the well.

Abstract: A pressure equalization apparatus can include separate longitudinal bores which form a continuous flowpath, the flowpath alternating direction between the bores, and the bores being interconnected at opposite ends thereof. A well system can include a well tool with a chamber therein containing an assembly in a dielectric fluid, and a pressure equalization apparatus including a flowpath having one end connected to the chamber, and the other end connected to a source of a another fluid, the flowpath extending in opposite directions between the flowpath ends through multiple separate bores. A method of installing a well tool can include attaching a mandrel to the well tool, then lowering the well tool at least partially into the well suspended from the mandrel, and then securing a pressure equalization apparatus to the mandrel, a flowpath of the apparatus being connected to a chamber of the well tool containing an assembly.

Abstract: The invention provides novel nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists, for example, phantasmidine and derivatives thereof, for example a compound of formula (I). Also disclosed are methods of treating disorders responsive to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, Myasthenia Gravis, Tourette's syndrome, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, pain, and cognitive dysfunction by treatment with the nicotinic acetylcholine for agonists.

Abstract: Regulatory elements, specifically insulators and transgene constructs containing insulator nucleic acid sequences, are disclosed herein. Methods of using insulators and transgene constructs including insulators to inhibit, delay, or prevent gene silencing are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A sand control screen assembly selectively positionable within a wellbore. The sand control screen assembly comprises a pipe having an internal flow path, an external fluid collection subassembly in fluid communication with the internal flow path, a filter medium disposed in a fluid path between the exterior of the sand control screen assembly and the internal flow path, a biasing mechanism, configured to bias the fluid collection subassembly towards a wall of the wellbore, disposed between the fluid collection subassembly and the pipe, and a retaining mechanism configured to release the biasing mechanism in response to a trigger.