Abstract: The present invention provides methods and materials for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases. In particular, the present invention relates to the discovery that small peptides are capable of interacting with CD40, thereby interfering with the ability of CD40 to interact with CD154, which is important in inflammation. The present invention also relate to the use of such peptides in reducing the inflammatory response, and in particular, the autoimmune inflammatory response. The present invention also relates to the use of such short peptides to prevent or reverse autoimmune disease, and particular, diabetes, in individuals suffering from such disease. It also relates to methods and materials for detecting T-cells that express CD40 (Th40 cells). Also provided are kits for reducing inflammation, treating autoimmune diseases, or detecting Th40 cells.

Abstract: Implementations of an anti-tick vaccine composition may include one or more conserved tick proteins from a tick species; and one or more conserved outer membrane proteins of an endosymbiont of the tick species.

Abstract: A joint seal system and method may be configured to mitigate and/or eliminate leakage of pressure, flue gases, condensate, helium vent gas and/or any other fluid, gas, and/or vapor between abutting flanges of duct sections at a flange interface. A weld-free MRI machine quench vent discharge system using pre-fabricated chimney duct components may be configured by selecting a quench vent outlet and discharge location, mapping a route, and determining directional changes. Elbows and bellows sections are selected based on these changes, and the distance between the MRI machine and discharge location is calculated to determine support positions. The system is assembled using prefabricated chimney ducts, each comprising an inner shell with spinner bolt flanges and a leak-free joint with a PTFE gasket. The design includes an outer shell with an insulation gap for thermal protection.

Abstract: A joint seal system and method may be configured to mitigate and/or eliminate leakage of pressure, flue gases, condensate, helium vent gas and/or any other fluid, gas, and/or vapor between abutting flanges of duct sections at a flange interface. A weld-free MRI machine quench vent discharge system using pre-fabricated chimney duct components may be configured by selecting a quench vent outlet and discharge location, mapping a route, and determining directional changes. Elbows and bellows sections are selected based on these changes, and the distance between the MRI machine and discharge location is calculated to determine support positions. The system is assembled using prefabricated chimney ducts, each comprising an inner shell with spinner bolt flanges and a leak-free joint with a PTFE gasket. The design includes an outer shell with an insulation gap for thermal protection.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of detecting a biothreat agent in a sample, comprising detecting at least one biothreat-specific amplicon in the sample. The methods also encompass confirming the absence of the biothreat agent by detecting Near Neighbor specific amplicons to avoid false positive results.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating conversion of a page description language (PDL) representation of a correspondence to an accessible format are provided. According to one embodiment, a correspondence is received in a form of an input file represented in a PDL. Text strings and corresponding coordinates indicative of points at which the text strings are positioned within a printable area of a page of the correspondence or an electronic equivalent thereof are extracted from the input file. Information is received indicative of multiple groups of the text strings. Each group is processed in accordance with an associated rule selected from multiple rules to create an output file in which the text strings within a given group of the plurality of groups are excluded or included within an element of the output file based on application of the associated rule to the given group.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating conversion of a page description language (PDL) representation of a correspondence to an accessible format are provided. According to one embodiment, a correspondence is received in a form of an input file represented in a PDL. Text strings and corresponding coordinates indicative of points at which the text strings are positioned within a printable area of a page of the correspondence or an electronic equivalent thereof are extracted from the input file. Information is received indicative of multiple groups of the text strings. Each group is processed in accordance with an associated rule selected from multiple rules to create an output file in which the text strings within a given group of the plurality of groups are excluded or included within an element of the output file based on application of the associated rule to the given group.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing a privacy-preserving training approach for split learning methods, including blind learning.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and materials for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases. In particular, the present invention relates to the discovery that small peptides are capable of interacting with CD40, thereby interfering with the ability of CD40 to interact with CD154, which is important in inflammation. The present invention also relate to the use of such peptides in reducing the inflammatory response, and in particular, the autoimmune inflammatory response. The present invention also relates to the use of such short peptides to prevent or reverse autoimmune disease, and particular, diabetes, in individuals suffering from such disease. It also relates to methods and materials for detecting T-cells that express CD40 (Th40 cells). Also provided are kits for reducing inflammation, treating autoimmune diseases, or detecting Th40 cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of detecting a biothreat agent in a sample, comprising detecting at least one biothreat-specific amplicon in the sample. The methods also encompass confirming the absence of the biothreat agent by detecting Near Neighbor specific amplicons to avoid false positive results.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for a biased cathode assembly of an X-ray tube with improved thermal management and a method of manufacturing same. In one example, a cathode assembly of an X-ray tube comprises an emitter assembly including an emitter coupled to an emitter support structure, and an electrode assembly including an electrode stack and a plurality of bias electrodes. The emitter assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together. The electrode assembly including a plurality of independent components that are coupled together, and the emitter assembly being coupled to the electrode assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and materials for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases. In particular, the present invention relates to the discovery that small peptides are capable of interacting with CD40, thereby interfering with the ability of CD40 to interact with CD154, which is important in inflammation. The present invention also relate to the use of such peptides in reducing the inflammatory response, and in particular, the autoimmune inflammatory response. The present invention also relates to the use of such short peptides to prevent or reverse autoimmune disease, and particular, diabetes, in individuals suffering from such disease. It also relates to methods and materials for detecting T-cells that express CD40 (Th40 cells). Also provided are kits for reducing inflammation, treating autoimmune diseases, or detecting Th40 cells.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage device comprises non-volatile memory cells, clocked circuity, and one or more control circuits. The one or more control circuits are configured to process commands to access the non-volatile memory cells using the clocked circuity, implement a power control loop to regulate power consumption of the non-volatile storage device based on a first feedback signal, implement a temperature control loop to regulate temperature of the non-volatile storage device based on a second feedback signal, and implement a clock frequency control loop to regulate one or more clock frequencies of the clocked circuitry based on a third feedback signal.

Abstract: A method includes: receiving, in a first tag, a first security certificate for a second tag and a session token corresponding to an arrangement involving the first and second tags; determining, by the first tag, that the second tag satisfies a proximity criterion with regard to the first tag; receiving, in the first tag and from the second tag, the first security certificate and the session token; and generating, by the first tag and in response to the determination and the receipt of the first security certificate and the session token, a first output corresponding to verification of a custodian of the second tag as a participant in the arrangement.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage device comprises non-volatile memory cells, clocked circuity, and one or more control circuits. The one or more control circuits are configured to process commands to access the non-volatile memory cells using the clocked circuity, implement a power control loop to regulate power consumption of the non-volatile storage device based on a first feedback signal, implement a temperature control loop to regulate temperature of the non-volatile storage device based on a second feedback signal, and implement a clock frequency control loop to regulate one or more clock frequencies of the clocked circuitry based on a third feedback signal.