Abstract: Disclosed herein is an alignment tool 1 for a pipe having a bore with a central axis. The tool 1 comprises a main body 22, 32 having one end 26 conforming with an open end of the pipe in use, and an opposite end 34 having mounted thereto a sighting means, wherein the sighting means is configured to discharge a sighting beam in use coaxially with the central axis of the pipe.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods and apparatuses for a load lifting system.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to presenting for selection, services comprising at least one bundled set of healthcare services to be performed separately by respective providers, determining a bundle price for the at least one bundled set of healthcare services and in response to receiving payment in an amount of the bundle price, generating a persistent purchase data record with a unique confirmation number that is selectively redeemable by the user to receive each of the healthcare services in the bundled set. The bundle price may be discounted and/or based on the location or time at which at least one service will be performed. The bundle price may also be based on the user's remaining health insurance deductible. A single payment may be disbursed to multiple providers of the bundled set of healthcare services. The received and/or disbursed payment may be in virtual funds.

Abstract: An image of a negotiable instrument may be taken by a camera associated with a mobile device and provided from a user to a financial institution via the mobile device. The negotiable instrument may be deposited in a user’s bank account based on the image. Any technique for sending the image to the financial institution may be used. The mobile device may process the image prior to sending the image to the financial institution. Additionally or alternatively, the financial institution may process the image.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system (includes a cartridge, a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and an aerosol-generating device. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing and a solid aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-generating device includes a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge, an airflow inlet, and an airflow sensor. The airflow sensor is in fluid communication with the airflow inlet and the cavity). The aerosol-generating device includes a bypass air inlet in fluid communication with the cavity, an electric heater configured to heat the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a power supply, and a controller. The aerosol-generating system is configured so that the cartridge housing substantially prevents airflow through the bypass air inlet when the cartridge is received within the cavity.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a housing defining a front opening for receiving a mating connector in a mating direction, an electrical terminal arranged within an interior of the housing, and a terminal position assurance (TPA) device received within a rear opening of the housing in an installation direction. The TPA device includes a body defining a central opening for receiving a cable to be attached to the terminal, and an elastic element defined on a front end of the body. The elastic element includes a contact surface protruding from the front end of the body for engaging with the terminal in an installation direction of the TPA device. The contact surface engages with the terminal before the TPA device reaches an installed position within the housing in the installation direction.

Abstract: A compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, comprising (i) a CB1 receptor mediating scaffold conjugated to (ii) a second therapeutic scaffold.

Abstract: A docking board removably coupled to a processor board that does not function when not operatively coupled to the docking board. The docking board sends power to and receive a control signal from the processor board when operatively coupled to the processor board and does not send power and does not receive a control signal when not operatively coupled to the processor board. The docking board is removably coupled to an expansion board that performs a computer function that is not performed by the processor board and the docking board. The docking board sends power and a control signal to the expansion board when the docking board is operatively coupled to the processor board and the expansion board, and does not send power and does not send a control signal to the expansion board when the docking board is not operatively coupled to the processor board and the expansion board.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a separate interest rate for an individual transaction are disclosed. A system may provide a service associated with a account having an account balance and an associated first interest rate. The system may include a service device having one or more memory devices storing instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform a separate interest rate service process. The process may include providing a separate interest rate service offer to a client device and receiving a separate interest rate selection from the client device. The process may also include determining a selected portion of the account balance corresponding to an amount to which a second interest rate, different from the first interest rate, is to be applied based on the separate interest rate selection.

Abstract: A thin client may be utilized to facilitate data exchanges between two devices (e.g., a remote computer and a portable device). In some embodiments, the two devices may utilize differing communications protocols. The thin client may further be configured with a rules engine that determines one or more actions to be performed in response to one or more stimuli. The thin client may manage the processing flow between the two devices according to one or more predefined rules that are interpretable by the rules engine. The rules may be pushed to the thin client via any suitable device enabling the functionality of the thin client to be configured and/or modified without having to update the hardware and/or software of the thin client.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for semantic analysis performed by a computing device in the financial field. The method includes constructing a knowledge graph with a computer device. The method further includes obtaining, by the computer device, information published by the first user on a social network over the network. The method further includes the computer device generating standard information based on the information. The method further includes generating, by the computer device, a user behavior based on the standard information and the knowledge graph. The method further includes searching, by the computer device, for another user with similar user behavior based on the user behavior.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor module for detecting unevenness of a surface, especially for detecting bulging and bowing of the pipe external surface. The sensor module comprises an arm assembly comprising an arm body having at least two ends, one or more surface contacting element mounted to at least one end of the arm body; a magnet assembly comprising at least one magnet to generate magnetic lines of force; and a magnetic sensor assembly comprising a magnetic sensor being assembled adjacent to the magnet for sensing changes in the magnetic lines of force in response to movement of the arm body. The invention also relates to an apparatus comprising the said sensor module and a method for detecting unevenness of a surface using the said sensor module.

Abstract: Systems for partitioning text are disclosed. The system can receive a text string. A delimiter can be identified based on the text string. Based on identifying the delimiter, a character sequence to the left and/or right of the delimiter can be identified. The identification can occur up to a predetermined number/length of characters. Using a trained model, the system can determine whether the character sequence indicates the delimiter is part of a continuous string of text. Based on determining whether or not the delimiter is part of the continuous string of text, the system can generate a token representing the continuous string of text or the delimiter.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining alternative plans for a user may include: determining an event status of an event based on one or more parameters, wherein the event status comprises a target event indicator, wherein the one or more parameters comprise event population; obtaining event data of a target event; obtaining transactional data of the user, wherein the transactional data includes transaction time and transaction location; determining, via one or more processors, a likelihood of a potential transaction of the user associated with the target event by processing the transactional data and the event data using a trained machine learning model; and transmitting, to the user, a notification based on the determined likelihood of the potential transaction, wherein the notification includes a suggestion for alternative travel plans of the user.

Abstract: A method including receiving a request based on a sender initiating a funds transfer, wherein the funds transfer is for the sender to make a payment to a non-financial institution. The sender has a sender account at a sender financial institution. The method also can include obtaining sender identifying information from the sender. The method additionally can include sending at least a recipient public identifier and a payment amount for the payment to the sender financial institution to cause the sender financial institution to send a funds transfer request to a computer-implemented funds transfer network to initiate the payment from the sender account at the sender financial institution to a recipient account at a recipient financial institution. The funds transfer request does not include an account number of the recipient account. The computer-implemented funds transfer network is operated by an entity that is different from the recipient financial institution and the sender financial institution.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for treating a subject with a tumor. These methods include administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of CD8+CD39+CD103+ T cells. Methods also are disclosed for isolating a nucleic acid encoding a T cell receptor (TCR) that specifically binds a tumor cell antigen. These methods include isolating CD8+CD39+CD103+ T cells from a sample from a subject with a tumor expressing the tumor cell antigen, and cloning a nucleic acid molecule encoding a TCR from the CD8+CD39+CD103+ T cells. In addition, methods are disclosed for expanding CD8+CD39+CD103+ T cells. In additional embodiments, methods are disclosed for determining if a subject with a tumor will respond to a checkpoint inhibitor. The methods include detecting the presence of CD8+CD39+CD103+ T cells in a biological sample from a subject.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for using haptic vibration for inter-device communication. In one implementation, a system for inter-device communication using haptic vibration may include at least one force gauge configured to measure displacements caused by an external device in contact with the at least one force gauge; at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to: receive an identifier associated with a user; retrieve a pattern associated with the received identifier; receive, from the at least one force gauge, one or more measurements over a period of time; assess a degree of difference between the received one or more measurements and the retrieved pattern; and, when the degree of difference is below a threshold, authenticate the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate to non-intrusive tracking of objects in a conduit from a single location. A system comprises a component positioned to control flow into or out of the conduit to induce pressure waves in the conduit; a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the conduit, the pressure transducer positioned to measure pressure responses in the conduit due to contact of the pressure waves with the object; and a system controller operable to: receive pressure data from the pressure transducer, wherein the pressure data includes the pressure responses to the pressure waves; and determine a distance of the object in the conduit, relative to the component or the pressure transducer, based on the pressure responses.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and apparatus for detecting a skimmer via a vibration sensor on a transaction card. The method includes receiving, at a server, from a user equipment, vibration information recorded by a transaction card in response to an execution of a transaction at a point-of-service (POS) terminal of a plurality of POS terminals using the transaction card. The vibration information may be recorded by a microphone or an accelerometer on the transaction card while the transaction card is swiped through the POS terminal or inserted into or removed from the POS terminal. The method includes determining, at the server, a state of the POS terminal based on the received vibration information and in response to a determination of the state of the POS being compromised, sending to one or more stakeholders of the transaction a warning message containing the POS terminal information including the POS terminal’s state.

Abstract: Skin-associated autoimmune diseases are common these days. A method and composition for microbiome based amelioration of skin associated autoimmune inflammatory diseases has been provided. The composition is made of at least one or more of microbiome-associated compounds such as proteins, metabolites, antibiotics, probiotics, etc. The method provides a composition for an affected individual through application of these compositions aimed at improving the bioavailability of lipoic acid. It acts through modulation of the lipoic acid metabolic pathway to do the same. The suggested microbes and compounds can either be used as an effective probiotic supplement in increasing the microbial population involved in lipoic acid biosynthesis (only), or increasing the number of competitors of the microbes involved in escalation of lipoic acid salvage system, or through direct antibiotic or physical action against the latter.