Abstract: An optical element including a plate-shaped substrate with a light-entrance surface and a light-exit surface, a multiplicity of imaging elements formed on the light-exit surface and a multiplicity of diaphragms formed on the light-entrance surface. Each diaphragm includes a transparent geometric region in an opaque region. The optical element can be switched between two operating modes B1 and B2 such that some of the imaging elements change their focal length between values f1 and f2 and/or, some of the diaphragms change their aperture width and/or their position. Exactly one diaphragm is associated with each imaging element in mode B1 so that light passing through the diaphragm is imaged or collimated by the associated imaging element. Consequently, light arriving in the optical element through the diaphragms and then through the light-entrance surface has, after passing through the associated imaging elements in the two operating modes B1 and B2, different propagation angles.

Abstract: Within an interrupt routing structure, an interrupt handler is registered, the registering comprising storing a pointer to the interrupt handler in the interrupt routing structure. Responsive to determining that a received interrupt comprises a queuing bypass flag in a set state, the interrupt handler is executed, the executing bypassing an interrupt queueing mechanism.

Abstract: A mobile transport device and a method for introducing an installation frame into a shaft, in particular an elevator shaft, are used for transporting an installation frame and for introducing the installation frame into the shaft. The installation frame has a base frame and a bearing frame on which the installation frame is supported from above. The transport device additionally has a fixing device arranged on the base frame for fixing the base frame to a shaft opening of a shaft wall of the shaft and for preventing the transport device from tilting. The bearing frame is supported by the base frame and is movable in the horizontal direction relative to the base frame such that, when the base frame is arranged outside of the shaft, the bearing frame , and thus also the installation frame, can be moved into the shaft from outside the shaft through the shaft opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of purifying a recombinant polypeptide from Host Cell Proteins (HCP), the method comprising: (a) applying a solution comprising the recombinant polypeptide and HCP to a superantigen chromatography solid support, (b) washing the superantigen chromatography solid support with a wash buffer comprising caprylate and arginine; and (c) eluting the recombinant polypeptide from the superantigen chromatography solid support.

Abstract: In a method of machining a workpiece (60) having first and second gearings (61, 62), a reference tooth structure of the first gearing (61) is identified. The reference tooth structure is then measured with a reference measuring device (140) to determine a reference rotational angular position of the workpiece. Subsequently, the second gearing (62) is machined in such a way that the second gearing obtains a rotational angular position which is in a predetermined relationship to the determined reference rotational angular position.

Abstract: A coating applicator tool head configured for use with a robotic maintenance device includes a tool head body with a frame, a supply container, a drive for actuating delivery of flow of coating from the supply container, a feed tube, a nozzle receiving flow from the feed tube, and a spreading tool such as a roller brush or a spatula receiving flow from the nozzle. The coating applicator tool head is moved by an articulated arm of the maintenance device over surface of a wind turbine blade containing damage such that the roller brush or spatula can apply layers of the coating to cover and fill in the damage. The nozzle directly supplies coating continuously onto the roller brush or the spatula, and the drive can be configured to independently adjust supply of two or more different components in the supply container that may be mixed to form the coating.

Abstract: A catheter, consisting of an insertion probe, having a distal end configured for insertion into a lumen of a human subject. The catheter also has a resilient tube, extending distally from the distal end of the insertion probe and having, when unconstrained, a planar serpentine shape contained within a plane that contains a longitudinal axis of the distal end of the insertion probe. A plurality of electrodes are fixedly attached to the resilient tube and are configured to transfer ablation energy to the human subject. Other shapes for the insertion tube are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a combination composition comprising UBP and fermentation collected from Burkholderia sp. where the combination provides significantly improved insecticidal and/or plant growth promoting properties when applied to plants and/or seeds.

Abstract: A method includes, inserting into an organ of a patient, a catheter having an expandable distal-end assembly, which is coupled to a shaft and includes multiple splines, at least a given spline among the multiple splines includes an electrode that is being placed in contact with tissue of the organ. At least a size of a section of the electrode in contact with the tissue, is controlled by moving a tube over at least a portion of the expandable distal-end assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for decontaminating recycled plastic materials, which comprises the steps of selecting, grinding, washing, rinsing, drying and decontaminating, wherein decontaminating is carried out by means of the steps of extracting and rinsing, and extracting is carried out using a water-soluble solvent having a boiling point greater than 180° C. at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A method includes generating an ablation programming language, which defines commands for (i) setting ablation protocol parameters and respective values, (ii) setting a configuration of an ablation system, (iii) applying automatic logic that relates the ablation protocol parameters and the values to the configuration of the ablation system, and (iv) generating one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) showing one or more of the parameters of the ablation protocol and the system configuration. The ablation programming language is provided for subsequent use with the ablation system.

Abstract: An embossing system designed to mark metal marker plates. The embossing system includes a feeder system that presents a marker plate, a drive sub assembly secured to the feeder system, and a gripper system that grips the marker plate from the feeder system. The feeder system has a fixed side wall secured to a base plate and a moveable side wall positioned a distance from the fixed side wall. Marker plate guides are secured to the side walls for providing support to a stack of marker plates positioned in the feeder system. Adjustable feed gates are secured to the sidewalls to accommodate adjustments for maker plate thickness variations.

Abstract: Implementations are described herein for analyzing existing interactive web sites to facilitate automatic engagement with those web sites, e.g., by automated assistants or via other user interfaces, with minimal effort from the hosts of those websites. For example, in various implementations, techniques described herein may be used to abstract, validate, maintain, generalize, extend and/or distribute individual actions and “traces” of actions that are useable to navigate through various interactive websites. Additionally, techniques are described herein for leveraging these actions and/or traces to automate aspects of interaction with a third party website.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for alternative payment transactions are provided. An example computer-implemented method includes receiving a first request for payment associated with a first transaction that includes one or more first payment parameters and generating an initial payment responsive to the first request for payment based upon the first payment parameters. The computer-implemented method also includes determining first alternative payment data based upon first payment attribute data of a first user associated with the first transaction. The first payment attribute data is associated with non-cash liquid assets of the first user. The computer-implemented method additionally includes modifying the initial payment based upon the first alternative payment data and effectuating the modified initial payment from a first user account associated with the first user in satisfaction of the first transaction.

Abstract: Communication between an owner of a lost tracking device and a finder of a lost tracking device is established. A tracking system receives an identifier of a tracking device and a request for a web page from a mobile device that has captured an image of a smart code on the tracking device. The smart code is embedded with a URL to the web page. The system displays the web page on the mobile device and prompts the user to provide a location of the mobile device. The location is associated with the identifier of the tracking device. A notification indicating the location of the tracking device is generated for the owner. The owner is prompted to provide information to establish contact with the finder of the device, and the web page is populated with the owner's provided information for display on the finder's mobile device.

Abstract: A phase modulated continuous wave (PMCW) multiple input multiple output (MEM) radar system is described herein. The radar system is configured to compute range, velocity, and direction of arrival angle of objects relative to the radar system. The radar system includes several transmitting antennas and several receiving antennas, where selected transmitting antennas simultaneously transmit radar signals based on the same modulation signal. Per transmitting antenna, the transmissions are modulated with respective phase offsets on a per pulse repetition interval (PRI) basis. Hence, a coupling between phase shifts over PRI and transmitter positions is established. Effectively, then, each transmitting antenna is labeled with a velocity offset that corresponds to the phase rate of change assigned to the transmitting antenna. This approach is referred to herein as velocity-labeled multiplexing (VLM).

Abstract: Techniques for routing a user command to a speechlet and resolving conflicts between potential speechlets are described. A system determines an intent of an input command. The system also receives context information associated with the input command. The system determines speechlets (e.g., speechlets and/or skills) that may execute with respect to the input command given the intent and the context data. The system then determines whether conditions of routing rules, associated with the speechlets, are satisfied given the context data. If the conditions of only one routing rule are satisfied, the system causes the speechlet associated with the routing rule to execute with respect to the input command. If the conditions of more than one routing rule are satisfied, the system may determine a speechlet to execute with respect to the input command based on the speechlets' priorities in a list of speechlets and/or based on potential output data provided by the speechlets.

Abstract: A method for reducing fluctuations over time in discharge of a plastics composition when extruding plastics products, including melting plastics material in an extruder and supplying the plastics material to an extrusion die by way of one or more extruder screws arranged in the extruder, and conveying a plastics composition along an extrusion axis by rotating the one or more extruder screws as pressure builds up, wherein discharge of the plastics material at a transition region from the extruder to the extrusion die or in the extrusion die is kept constant by changing a rotational speed of the one or more extruder screws, and wherein changing the rotational speed is carried out within one revolution of the one or more extruder screws.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for providing a plurality of motion vectors related to an image coded in a bitstream, comprising obtaining a set of sample positions within the image, obtaining respective motion vectors associated with the set of sample positions, deriving an additional motion vector based on information coded in the bitstream, determining an additional sample position located within a triangle, which is formed by three sample positions of the set of sample positions, based on the respective motion vectors associated with the three sample positions, the triangle not including any other sample position of the set, adding the additional sample position to the set of sample positions, and associating the derived additional motion vector with the additional sample position. Such method and apparatus provide for an efficient motion flow compression and reconstruction enabling to recover some sample positions without signaling them in the bitstream.

Abstract: CRISPR-based gene-drive system for inhibiting antibiotic resistance of bacteria, including Escherichia coli that efficiently copies a gRNA cassette and adjacent cargo that are flanked with sequences homologous to the targeted gRNA/Cas9 cleavage site. This “pro-active” genetic system (Pro-AG) functionally inactivates an antibiotic resistance marker on a high copy number plasmid with greater efficiency than control CRISPR-based methods. Pro-AG can effectively edit large plasmids or single-copy genomic targets, or introduce functional genes, with numerous applications to biotechnology and biomedicine.