Abstract: This document relates to smokeless products containing one or more non-tobacco plant materials. Certain embodiments described in this document relate to smokeless products containing one or more tobacco-alternative plant materials and having properties similar to tobacco-containing oral products.

Abstract: Methods for handling bulk material in a manner that reduces dust, noise, and emissions are provided. The presently disclosed techniques use portable containers to transfer bulk material from a transportation unit to a blender inlet. The containers may be carried to the location on the transportation unit, where a hoisting mechanism is used to remove the container from the transportation unit and place it in a desired location. When bulk material is needed at the blender inlet, the hoisting mechanism may position the container of bulk material onto an elevated support structure. Once on the support structure, the container may be opened to release bulk material to a gravity feed outlet, which routes the bulk material from the container directly into the blender inlet. The disclosed containerized bulk material transfer system and method allows for reduced dust, noise, and emissions on location.

Abstract: A method for borehole measurements may comprise receiving one or more signals from a linear receiver array, computing an arctan of a Hilbert Transform, isolating a first arriving energy, selecting a reference instantaneous phase on a reference receiver, finding the reference instantaneous phase for the linear receiver array, computing a relative travel time shift, combining a reference pick time with a relative time, and determining a travel time. A system for borehole measurements comprise a conveyance, a bottom hole assembly attached to the conveyance, a linear receiver array, wherein the linear receiver array is disposed on the bottom hole assembly, and a computer system connected to the linear receiver array.

Abstract: A casing patch includes a tubular that comprises a first end and a second end opposite the first end, each of the first end and second end comprising an expandable wedge that is deformable into a wellbore casing; and a locating profile formed onto an inner surface of the tubular between the first and second ends.

Abstract: In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to systems and methods for efficiently combining additives into bulk material being transferred about a job site. The systems may include a support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material, and a mulling device disposed beneath the support structure to provide bulk material treatment capabilities. Specifically, the mulling device may facilitate mixing of coatings or other additives with bulk material that is released from the portable containers, as well as transfer of the mixture to an outlet location.

Abstract: A server device obtains historical transaction data regarding transactions involving a network service, obtains historical calendar data regarding static date information for a historical time period that corresponds with the historical transaction data, and processes the historical transaction data and historical calendar data to train a machine learning model using a gradient boosting machine learning technique to predict a normal transaction volume for a period of time and confidence bands associated with the normal transaction volume. The server device generates the normal transaction volume for the period of time and confidence bands using the machine learning model, obtains real-time data concerning a transaction volume during the period of time, detects a transaction volume anomaly based on comparing the real-time data and normal transaction volume and confidence bands, and sends an alert, based on the transaction volume anomaly, to cause a remote device to display the alert and perform an action.

Abstract: Traffic probe devices, for validating traffic flow information, are selected by determining if a traffic probe device has a driver associated therewith traveling on an entire roadway segment of interest and whether the traffic probe device travelled continuously on the entire roadway segment of interest. The method continues by adding the traffic probe device to a list of traffic probe devices. The method continues by receiving measurements, during a particular time, from one or more of the traffic probe devices on the list of traffic probe devices, validating traffic-flow information for the roadway segment of interest, the traffic-flow information associated with the one or more of the traffic probe devices on the list of traffic probe devices and the particular time, and disseminating traffic messages including at least the validated traffic-flow prediction to users.

Abstract: A sliding sleeve well device has a first sliding sleeve received in a second sliding sleeve. A polymer seal having a polymer sealing surface is between and in sealing contact with the sliding sleeves. A metal-to-metal seal is between the sliding sleeves and actuable into sealing contact with the first and second sliding sleeves.

Abstract: A disconnect tool can be part of a production string in a wellbore. The disconnect tool can include a disconnect sub and a disconnect receptacle. The disconnect sub can be inserted into the disconnect receptacle such that the disconnect sub is concentric with the disconnect receptacle. The disconnect sub and the disconnect receptacle can include bands having multiple electrically conductive sections separated by an electrically insulating material. Insertion of the disconnect sub into the disconnect receptacle cause the electrically conductive sections of the disconnect sub to contact the electrically conductive sections of the disconnect receptacle, thereby completing multiple electrical connections between a control system uphole of the disconnect tool and one or more devices downhole from the disconnect tool along the lower portion of the production string. The disconnect tool allows the upper portion of the production string to be removed leaving devices in the lower production string undisturbed.

Abstract: Novel, nanoparticle-based vaccines are provided that elicit an immune response to a broad range of infectious agents, such as influenza viruses. The nanoparticles comprise a heterogeneous population of fusion proteins, each comprising a monomeric subunit of a self-assembly protein, such as ferritin, joined to one or more immunogenic portions of a protein from an infectious agent, such as influenza virus. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form nanoparticles that display a heterogeneous population of immunogenic portions on their surface. When administered to an individual, such nanoparticles elicit an immune response to different strains, types, subtypes and species with in the same taxonomic family. Thus, such nanoparticles can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by different Types, subtypes and/or strains of infectious agents.

Abstract: Methods include processing image data through a plurality of network stages of a progressively holistically nested convolutional neural network, wherein the processing the image data includes producing a side output from a network stage m, of the network stages, where m>1, based on a progressive combination of an activation output from the network stage m and an activation output from a preceding stage m?1. Image segmentations are produced. Systems include a 3D imaging system operable to obtain 3D imaging data for a patient including a target anatomical body, and a computing system comprising a processor, memory, and software, the computing system operable to process the 3D imaging data through a plurality of progressively holistically nested convolutional neural network stages of a convolutional neural network.

Abstract: A distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system is coupled to an optical fiber along a plurality of channels. The system generates a DAS seismic profile of the subsurface formation based on detected seismic data, identifies at least one region having coherent noise, and identifies which of the plurality of channels are within the identified at least one region. For each trace of data associated with the plurality of noisy channels, the system converts, from a time to a wavelet domain, the trace of data and a reference trace having less coherent noise, and suppresses the wavelet coefficients of the trace of data based on the wavelet coefficients of the reference trace. After the system mitigates the noise in the wavelet domain, an inverse wavelet transform is applied to the trace of data to convert back to the time domain and create a reduced noise DAS seismic profile.

Abstract: Provided is a computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for stand-in processing. The method includes receiving a transaction request message corresponding to a transaction, the transaction request message including a transaction value and an account identifier, determining whether to process the transaction request message as a stand-in transaction based at least partially on the transaction request message, in response to determining to process the transaction request message as a stand-in transaction, determining an account capacity corresponding to the account identifier, determining whether to authorize the stand-in transaction based at least partially on the transaction value and the account capacity, and in response to determining to authorize the stand-in transaction, completing the stand-in transaction. A system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A diagnostic test reader system including two or more reader modules and at least one mother module is provided. Each of the reader modules includes a unique code and is configured for reading a specific test cartridge type. Each of the reader modules is configured to be in data communication with the mother module for receiving instructions from the mother module and for transmitting read and/or derived data to the mother module. The mother module is configured for communicating individually with each of the reader modules.

Abstract: Techniques are described for a method of establishing a wireless ad hoc network using a series of wireless relays deployed in a geographical area where an extreme event has occurred. The deployed wireless relays may form a plurality of links between them to form the wireless ad hoc network where each of the wireless relays may serve as node in the wireless ad hoc network. The ad wireless hoc network may provide wireless services to devices within the geographical area. The wireless relays may be deployed to various locations within the geographical area using a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that may receive control commands from a relay control device.

Abstract: A system and method for mitigating risks when a company employee logs in to the company server from a remote location such as her home office, a hotel room or a public location such as a coffee shop. The system mitigates any risks by ensuring that voice-activated functions such as IPAs on intelligent listening devices are disabled while the employee is working from the remote location.

Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system, includes a vehicle database, which includes information associated with a plurality of vehicles. The vehicle monitoring system also includes a sensor database, which includes information captured by a sensor of an observing vehicle, and one or more processors. The one or more processors may generate a request to determine information associated with a target vehicle and to transmit the request to the sensor in response to determining that the information captured by the sensor does not include the information associated with the target vehicle. The sensor captures the information associated with the target vehicle based at least in part on the request. The one or more processors may also receive and store the information associated with the target vehicle from the sensor. Further, the one or more processors may output the information associated with the target vehicle to a computing device.

Abstract: Disclosed is the use of a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and an integrase inhibitor after exposure to a potential human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to inhibit or prevent an HIV infection. In some embodiments, a pharmacologically effective amount of emtricitabine (FTC), a pharmacologically effective amount of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) or tenofovir disproxil fumarate (TDF), a pharmacologically effective amount of the integrase inhibitor elvitegravir (EVG), and optionally cobistat (COBI) are used to inhibit or prevent an HIV infection, wherein these agents are administered only after a potential exposure to HIV. In specific non-limiting examples, only one or two doses of the anti-retroviral viral agents are administered to a subject after the potential exposure to HIV.

Abstract: A device can include a collar positioned in a wellbore that can include an outer wall. The outer wall can define an inner area of the collar and can prevent fluid flow between the inner area of the collar and an outer area of the collar during a hydraulic fracturing process. The collar can be removed or dissolved to form a flow path to allow production fluid to flow between the inner area of the collar and the outer area of the collar subsequent to the hydraulic fracturing process.

Abstract: A system includes one or more processors configured to receive call-specific data during a call between a customer and a customer service representative, and the call-specific data includes a verbal input. The one or more processors are configured to determine one or more characteristics of the verbal input and to determine an initial inquiry of the customer based at least in part on the one or more characteristics of the verbal input. The one or more processors are also configured to determine one or more follow-up inquiries based at least in part on the initial inquiry and to provide information related to the one or more follow-up questions in a window on a display of a computing system for visualization by the customer service representative.