Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for processing cardless financial transactions at transaction devices such as Automated Teller Machines. An example method comprises receiving a transaction request including at least one transaction parameter and receiving a substitute value representing an account for processing the transaction request. The substitute value is distinct from an account number associated with the account. The method further comprises sending the at least one transaction parameter and the substitute value to a payment network associated with the substitute value and completing the transaction request. A second method comprises receiving a transaction request with at least one transaction parameter and a substitute value. The second method further comprises determining account credentials associated with the substitute value using the account credentials.

Abstract: Apparatus for trenchless extraction of pipe includes a housing rigidly connectable to a pipe to be extracted, a tension helmet disposed over an end of the housing, the tension helmet connected by tensile elements to a hydraulic impact hammer supported by the housing, and resilient shock absorber disposed between the tension helmet and the housing. The hammer is operated to impact a striker plate on the housing, which drives the pipe to be extracted forward and thereby creating a gap between the striker plate and the hammer and compress the shock absorber. The shock absorber then resiliently expands, thereby pushing the tension helmet forward and bringing the hammer back into alignment with the striker plate.

Abstract: A biopsy and aspiration device that can include an outer cannula that has a plurality of apertures formed in an outer surface, a biopsy stylet insertable into the outer cannula having a beveled tip portion and slits formed in the main body, and an aspiration stylet also separately insertable into the outer cannula having a plurality of apertures formed in the main body and an optional sealing element associated therewith. One or more of the apertures of the aspiration stylet can be aligned with one or more of the apertures of the outer cannula.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a virtual world creation system detecting a request from a user of a user computing device to experience a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world, dynamically generating, in response to the request, a 3D mesh that defines a structure of a custom 3D virtual world to be experienced by the user, and providing, by the virtual world creation system, the custom 3D virtual world for experiencing by the user. The generating of the custom 3D virtual world includes selecting, based on profile information for the user and a set of virtual world building rules, a custom set of modules for inclusion in the custom 3D virtual world, and using the selected custom set of modules to generate the 3D mesh based on the set of virtual world building rules.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a virtual world creation system detecting a request from a user of a user computing device to experience a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world, dynamically generating, in response to the request, a 3D mesh that defines a structure of a custom 3D virtual world to be experienced by the user, and providing, by the virtual world creation system, the custom 3D virtual world for experiencing by the user. The generating of the custom 3D virtual world includes selecting, based on profile information for the user and a set of virtual world building rules, a custom set of modules for inclusion in the custom 3D virtual world, and using the selected custom set of modules to generate the 3D mesh based on the set of virtual world building rules.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a virtual world creation system detecting a request from a user of a user computing device to experience a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world, dynamically generating, in response to the request, a 3D mesh that defines a structure of a custom 3D virtual world to be experienced by the user, and providing, by the virtual world creation system, the custom 3D virtual world for experiencing by the user. The generating of the custom 3D virtual world includes selecting, based on profile information for the user and a set of virtual world building rules, a custom set of modules for inclusion in the custom 3D virtual world, and using the selected custom set of modules to generate the 3D mesh based on the set of virtual world building rules.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a virtual world creation system detecting a request from a user of a user computing device to experience a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world, dynamically generating, in response to the request, a 3D mesh that defines a structure of a custom 3D virtual world to be experienced by the user, and providing, by the virtual world creation system, the custom 3D virtual world for experiencing by the user. The generating of the custom 3D virtual world includes selecting, based on profile information for the user and a set of virtual world building rules, a custom set of modules for inclusion in the custom 3D virtual world, and using the selected custom set of modules to generate the 3D mesh based on the set of virtual world building rules.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices for biopsy, aspiration, stem cell acquisition, and methods of using the same. The devices balance aspiration with concurrent infusion to manage changes in pressure at the site of biopsy. The present invention can be adapted for any biopsy, aspiration, or cell harvest procedure, including adipose tissue aspiration and bone marrow aspiration (BMA). In particular, the present invention limits patient pain, prevents blood contamination, and increases cell mobilization, such as improved stem cell yields with intraosseous (10) pharmacological mobilization of stem cells during a BMA procedure, and with improved stem cell yields using pharmacological mobilization of stem cells from fat. The pharmacological mobilization of cells allows the harvest of cells from a biopsy many fold larger than existing methods.

Abstract: The present invention discloses genetically modified tobacco plants, and tobacco products derived from such plants, comprising a decrease in at least one amino acid such that upon heating and/or burning, the tobacco plant or a portion thereof generates reduced levels of a compound derived from the at least one amino acid as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco plant or a portion thereof. In an embodiment, the tobacco generates reduced levels of acrylamide and/or acrylonitrile upon heating and/or burning of the tobacco as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco line. These plants are useful for improving tobacco products.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing painless bone marrow biopsy that requires only a single procedural pass to the biopsy bone site is disclosed. The biopsy device combines dermatotomy, anesthesia and marrow specimen extraction functionality and inherently aligns the bone drilling site with the site of anesthetic delivery by incorporating a transport channel that may be used for anesthetic delivery, into the biopsy needle used for bone access and bone marrow sample retrieval. The biopsy device also discloses a right angle drill interface and multiple side-access ports for aspiration and anesthetic syringe attachments. A novel syringe/plunger system comprising vacuum tube fitted plungers for quick transfer of marrow specimen sample without requiring a second non-sterile assistant is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses genetically modified tobacco plants, and tobacco products derived from such plants, comprising a decrease in at least one amino acid such that upon heating and/or burning, the tobacco plant or a portion thereof generates reduced levels of a compound derived from the at least one amino acid as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco plant or a portion thereof. In an embodiment, the tobacco generates reduced levels of acrylamide and/or acrylonitrile upon heating and/or burning of the tobacco as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco line. These plants are useful for improving tobacco products.

Abstract: The present invention discloses genetically modified tobacco plants, and tobacco products derived from such plants, comprising a decrease in at least one amino acid such that upon heating and/or burning, the tobacco plant or a portion thereof generates reduced levels of a compound derived from the at least one amino acid as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco plant or a portion thereof. In an embodiment, the tobacco generates reduced levels of acrylamide and/or acrylonitrile upon heating and/or burning of the tobacco as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco line. These plants are useful for improving tobacco products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are genetically modified tobacco plants, and tobacco products derived from such plants, comprising an altered uptake and/or altered levels of at least one environmental contaminant or other non-natural chemical as compared to an unmodified parent tobacco plant from which the modified plant is derived. The alteration in uptake and/or levels may be a reduction, or alternatively an increase, in the uptake and/or levels of the environmental contaminant or other non-natural chemical. These methods and plants are useful for improving tobacco products or in generating tobacco lines that may have environmentally useful properties.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating hydrated material in a fluid that contains water in which a stable nitroxide is attached to the hydrated material. A dynamic nuclear polarization process (DNP) is conducted on the hydrated material whereby to hyperpolarize the water. A polarization cell contains the hydrated material to obtain hyperpolarized water free from the nitroxide. The dynamic nuclear polarization process is conducted using components comprising a tunable, solid state high power X-band driver and an X-band resonator for microwave transmission to the hydrated material. The components can also include a radio-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance probe, a permanent magnet formed to receive the hydrated material, a portable nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, and an electron spin resonance detector. The components can be sized to be portable, and include electrical input and output and a lap-size hard-case with access to the electrical input and output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating hydrated material in a fluid that contains water in which a stable nitroxide is attached to the hydrated material. A dynamic nuclear polarization process (DNP) is conducted on the hydrated material whereby to hyperpolarize the water. A polarization cell contains the hydrated material to obtain hyperpolarized water free from the nitroxide. The dynamic nuclear polarization process is conducted using components comprising a tunable, solid state high power X-band driver and an X-band resonator for microwave transmission to the hydrated material. The components can also include a radio-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance probe, a permanent magnet formed to receive the hydrated material, a portable nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, and an electron spin resonance detector. The components can be sized to be portable, and include electrical input and output and a lap-size hard-case with access to the electrical input and output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating hydrated material in a fluid that contains water in which a stable nitroxide is attached to the hydrated material. A dynamic nuclear polarization process (DNP) is conducted on the hydrated material whereby to hyperpolarize the water. A polarization cell contains the hydrated material to obtain hyperpolarized water free from the nitroxide. The dynamic nuclear polarization process is conducted using components comprising a tunable, solid state high power X-band driver and an X-band resonator for microwave transmission to the hydrated material. The components can also include a radio-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance probe, a permanent magnet formed to receive the hydrated material, a portable nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, and an electron spin resonance detector. The components can be sized to be portable, and include electrical input and output and a lap-size hard-case with access to the electrical input and output.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide retrodirective noise-correlating radar that include: (1) a transmit antenna array that quiescently transmits random noise; (2) a receive antenna array, in a desired spatial relationship with the transmit antenna array, for collecting the reflected noise from a target; and (3) RF electronic components interconnecting antenna-element pairs between the receive and transmit arrays. In one group of embodiments, the radar automatically transforms the broad pattern from each element of the array (when transmitting or receiving random noise), to a narrow pattern characteristic of the entire array. In a second group of embodiments, a presence of a target and its range are determined quickly by a quasi-coherent build-up of signal in the time or frequency domains. In third group of embodiments a target angle and velocity vector are determined by cross correlation between two or more electronic channels connecting the transmit and receive arrays.

Abstract: A ball game comprises a transparent barrel-shaped housing having mounted therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart baskets. A game ball is disposed within the housing and a series of manually-actuated paddle assemblies are arranged around the base of the housing operative to place the game ball in flight towards one of the baskets. The floor of the housing is inclined downwardly from the periphery of the housing and has a plurality of centrally located ball receiving openings. The inner ends of the paddle assemblies are positioned beneath the openings. A motor may be provided for rotating the baskets and a score keeping device including a sensor located beneath each basket may be provided for indicating each time a basket is made. A light is also provided for illuminating the interior of the barrel-shaped housing.