Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to share policy information. The policy information may be associated with a smart contract. Accordingly, the policy information may be encrypted using a public key for the smart contract and compiled into a block of the blockchain. In response to a request to provide access to the information to a particular node, the private key for the smart contract may be encrypted using the public key for the particular node and compiled into a block of the blockchain.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable sales records corresponding to sales made by agents of an entity are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a sale made by an agent of the entity may be received at a first node. A block including a sales record indicating the sale made by the agent may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional sales record.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.

Abstract: A splice holder assembly of this invention is used in an optical fiber cable splice closure. The assembly includes a splice tray that is an open-topped enclosure in which is mounted splice organizing modules that hold optical fiber splices. The tray includes retainers that confine optical fibers in a lower portion of the tray, and that also support a card with a list of splice locations and optical fiber identities coupled by each splice. The card supports at least one splice cassette situated inside of the splice tray. The splice cassette includes a bottom portion and a cover. To the bottom portion, at least one splice organizing module is mounted. The cassette's bottom portion also has T-shaped engagements which hold respective protective tubes housing optical fibers, that run between a distribution unit of the closure and the cassette.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and compositions for the treatment of hair. Treating compositions comprising cysteine and/or another active shaping compound, cysteamine and a non-reducing disaccharide are disclosed. The methods of the present invention comprise application of the composition to the hair for permanently altering the natural shape of the hair.

Abstract: A process for the permanent waving of hair in which hair wound on a mandrel is exposed to the action of a reactive waving solution containing at least one reducing agent capable of cystine cleavage to achieve cystine cleavage and the step of applying an oxidizing agent to the hair to reform the cystine bonds, is improved by contacting the hair for from about 5 to 15 minutes with the reactive waving solution to achieve a substantially-maximum cystine bond cleavage; blotting the hair to remove the reactive waving solution; and contacting the hair with a protein flow solution for a period of time sufficient to induce protein flow in the hair to achieve a desired curl configuration prior to application of the oxidizing agent to reestablish the cystine bonds to fix the curl. The protein flow solution is an aqueous protein flow solution having a pH of from about 2 to about 10.

Abstract: An aqueous permanent wave solution employing one or more compounds for cleaving keratin interprotein disulfide bonds is enhanced by including a biocompatible 1,3-alkyldiol. Preferably from two to seven percent by weight of 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol or 1,3-butanediol is employed. Such compositions provide a useful neutral permanent wave solution employing ammonium thioglycolate, the first permanent wave solution with a pH in the same acidic range as the isolectric point of hair, or a five minute permanent wave with either an acid or alkaline solution.

Abstract: A process for the permanent waving of hair in which hair wound on a mandrel is exposed to the action of a reactive waving solution containing at least one reducing agent capable of cystine cleavage to achieve cystine cleavage and the step of applying an oxidizing agent to the hair to reform the cystine bonds, is improved by contacting the hair for from about 5 to 15 minutes with the reactive waving solution to achieve a substantially-maximum cystine bond cleavage; blotting the hair to remove the reactive waving solution; and contacting the hair with a protein flow solution for a period of time sufficient to induce protein flow in the hair to achieve a desired curl configuration prior to application of the oxidizing agent to reestablish the cystine bonds to fix the curl. The protein flow solution is an aqueous protein flow solution having a pH of from about 2 to about 10.

Abstract: This hair waving composition has a self-limiting reaction so that reduction of sulfhydryl bonds and reduction of cystine is effectively discontinued after an interval, for minimizing potential for damage to hair when making a permanent wave. The self-limiting effect is obtained by using a composition containing both the ammonium and monoethanolamine salts of a suitable mercaptan, preferably thioglycolic acid. In a composition having a pH in the range of 9 to 9.5 the ratio of ammonium thioglycolate to monoethanolamine thioglycolate is in the range of from 2:1 to 8:1. Preferably the total concentration of ammonium thioglycolate plus monoethanolamine thioglycolate is in the of from 3% to 12% by weight. Such a composition may also include from 1% to 10% by weight surfactant, up to 1.5% by weight sequestrant for metal ions, and conditioners, colors, fragrances and the like.

Abstract: Hair and skin treating compositions containing hydrolyzed proteins having an average molecular weight in the range of from 500 to 2,000 are enhanced with an approximately equimolar quantity of amino acid derived zwitterion having a molecular weight less than 200, such as taurine. Preferably the taurine is present in such a composition in the range of from 1 to 5% by weight, and the composition has a pH in the range of from 3 to 10, the most preferably from 3 to 7.

Abstract: Curly or kinky human hair is permanently relaxed into a relatively smoothed or S-curved condition by a series of treatments involving application of a non-injurious composition containing a water solution of a salt of a weak acid to disrupt internal bonds of the hair, while manipulating and straightening the hair, then removing and replacing the first composition with a fixative to reconstruct or modify the structure of the hair, and finally applying a stabilizing composition which also acts to set and condition the hair.