Abstract: Technologies are disclosed for temporarily hiding user interface (“UI”) elements, such as application windows or tabs. A request can be received to hide a UI element for a specified period of time. When such a request is received, the UI element is hidden and an identifier corresponding to the UI element is moved from a first area of a taskbar to a second area of the taskbar. The application presenting the UI element can be configured for reduced consumption of computing resources while the UI element is hidden. Additionally, notifications associated with the UI element can be disabled while the UI element is hidden. When the specified period of time to hide the UI element has elapsed, the UI element is once again displayed. Additionally, the identifier corresponding to the UI element is moved from the second area of the taskbar back to the first area of the taskbar.

Abstract: The techniques disclosed herein implement a centralized lighting module configured to control a diverse set of lighting-enabled peripheral devices. The set of lighting-enabled peripheral devices is diverse with respect to a type and a manufacturer. The lighting module is referred to as a centralized lighting module because the lighting module is part of an operating system of a computing device. Consequently, a user of the computing device no longer has to download and learn to use multiple different lighting applications if the user wants to create a diverse lighting ecosystem in which lighting-enabled peripheral devices from different manufacturers are connected to the computing device. Similarly, a developer of a computing application no longer has to engage and interact with multiple application programming interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs) if the developer wants users of their computing application to be able to create a diverse lighting ecosystem.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed for temporarily hiding user interface (“UI”) elements, such as application windows or tabs. A request can be received to hide a UI element for a specified period of time. When such a request is received, the UI element is hidden and an identifier corresponding to the UI element is moved from a first area of a taskbar to a second area of the taskbar. The application presenting the UI element can be configured for reduced consumption of computing resources while the UI element is hidden. Additionally, notifications associated with the UI element can be disabled while the UI element is hidden. When the specified period of time to hide the UI element has elapsed, the UI element is once again displayed. Additionally, the identifier corresponding to the UI element is moved from the second area of the taskbar back to the first area of the taskbar.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for classifying x-ray energy into discrete levels include an imaging system comprising an x-ray source, a detector, and a DAS having a discriminator assembly configured to count photon hits in the detector. A computer causes the discriminator assembly to count photon hits in the detector having an energy level greater than or equal to first and second threshold levels during an imaging scan, wherein the second threshold level is distinct from the first threshold level. The computer further modifies the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to the first threshold level based on the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to the second threshold level and reconstructs an image based on the modified photon hits and based on the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to a second threshold level.

Abstract: A method for operating a locomotive is provided. The method includes coupling a processor within the locomotive to monitor at least one of an operating parameter and an equipment operation. The method also includes determining a status of a locomotive pre-trip or departure test using the processor and operating an interlock based on the status of the pre-trip or departure test, wherein the interlock is configured to regulate an operating speed of the locomotive.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for classifying x-ray energy into discrete levels include an imaging system comprising an x-ray source, a detector, and a DAS having a discriminator assembly configured to count photon hits in the detector. A computer causes the discriminator assembly to count photon hits in the detector having an energy level greater than or equal to first and second threshold levels during an imaging scan, wherein the second threshold level is distinct from the first threshold level. The computer further modifies the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to the first threshold level based on the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to the second threshold level and reconstructs an image based on the modified photon hits and based on the counted photon hits having an energy level greater than or equal to a second threshold level.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray source, a detector that receives x-rays emitted from the x-ray source, a DAS configured to count photon hits in the detector that occur at photon energies above at least a low keV threshold, a medium keV threshold, and a high keV threshold, and a computer operably coupled to the DAS. The computer is programmed to vary each of the medium keV threshold and the high keV threshold over a continuous keV range during data acquisition to define low, medium, and high keV bins that are based on the low, medium, and high keV thresholds, obtain photon counts in the low, medium, and high keV bins in a plurality of keV threshold combinations, calculate a noise variance as a function of at least one of the keV thresholds, and identify a noise minimum and low, medium, and high keV thresholds that correspond thereto.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an x-ray flux management device that adaptively attenuates an x-ray beam to limit the incident flux reaching a subject and radiographic detectors in potentially high-flux areas while not affecting the incident flux and detector measurements in low-flux regions. While the invention is particularly well-suited for CT, the invention is also applicable with other x-ray imaging systems. In addition to reducing the required detector system dynamic range, the present invention provides an added advantage of reducing radiation dose.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an x-ray source, a detector that receives x-rays emitted from the x-ray source, a DAS configured to count photon hits in the detector that occur at photon energies above at least a low keV threshold, a medium keV threshold, and a high keV threshold, and a computer operably coupled to the DAS. The computer is programmed to vary each of the medium keV threshold and the high keV threshold over a continuous keV range during data acquisition to define low, medium, and high keV bins that are based on the low, medium, and high keV thresholds, obtain photon counts in the low, medium, and high keV bins in a plurality of keV threshold combinations, calculate a noise variance as a function of at least one of the keV thresholds, and identify a noise minimum and low, medium, and high keV thresholds that correspond thereto.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an x-ray flux management device that adaptively attenuates an x-ray beam to limit the incident flux reaching a subject and radiographic detectors in potentially high-flux areas while not affecting the incident flux and detector measurements in low-flux regions. While the invention is particularly well-suited for CT, the invention is also applicable with other x-ray imaging systems. In addition to reducing the required detector system dynamic range, the present invention provides an added advantage of reducing radiation dose.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling an X-ray imaging system. The method for controlling an X-ray imaging system includes acquiring a plurality of subviews of patient attenuation data wherein a first set of subviews of patient attenuation data is acquired at a first radiation flux level and a second set of subviews of patient attenuation data is acquired at a second radiation flux level. The first radiation flux level is different than the second radiation flux level. The method further includes combining the first set of subviews of patient attenuation data and the second set of subviews of patient attenuation data to form corrected views for subsequent image generation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the complete biosynthetic pathway for the formation of the LL-F28249 compounds and, most importantly, the major component LL-F28249?. The purified and isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the proteins of the biosynthetic pathway, which is isolated from a wild-type or mutant Streptomyces, is fully described in FIG. 6 to FIG. 6-39 and SEQ ID NO:1. The DNA gene cluster and its expression in a suitable host enable the efficient production of the highly active natural metabolites and semisynthetic derivatives. The invention further concerns plasmids, vectors and host cells that contain and express the novel nucleic acid molecule. Of particular interest, the entire biosynthetic pathway fits compactly in three plasmids, Cos11, Cos36 and Cos40. The invention also concerns the purified and isolated biosynthesis proteins that are encoded by the whole DNA gene cluster. Additionally, the invention involves a new efficient, biochemical method of preparing moxidectin.

Abstract: The present invention is a directed method and apparatus for collimating a radiation beam such that the full intensity of the radiation beam does not impinge detectors of a radiation detector assembly that are particularly susceptible to saturation or over-ranging. This collimation can be dynamically adjusted on a per view basis using empirical or scout scan data.

Abstract: A method for operating a locomotive is provided. The method includes coupling a processor within the locomotive to monitor at least one of an operating parameter and an equipment operation. The method also includes determining a status of a locomotive departure test using the processor and operating an interlock based on the status of the departure test, wherein the interlock is configured to regulate an operating speed of the locomotive.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the complete biosynthetic pathway for the formation of the LL-F28249 compounds and, most importantly, the major component LL-F28249?. The purified and isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the proteins of the biosynthetic pathway, which is isolated from a wild-type or mutant Streptomyces, is fully described in FIG. 6 to FIG. 6-39 and SEQ ID NO:1. The DNA gene cluster and its expression in a suitable host enable the efficient production of the highly active natural metabolites and semisynthetic derivatives. The invention further concerns plasmids, vectors and host cells that contain and express the novel nucleic acid molecule. Of particular interest, the entire biosynthetic pathway fits compactly in three plasmids, Cos11, Cos36 and Cos40. The invention also concerns the purified and isolated biosynthesis proteins that are encoded by the whole DNA gene cluster. Additionally, the invention involves a new efficient, biochemical method of preparing moxidectin.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an x-ray flux management device that adaptively attenuates an x-ray beam to limit the incident flux reaching a subject and radiographic detectors in potentially high-flux areas while not affecting the incident flux and detector measurements in low-flux regions. While the invention is particularly well-suited for CT, the invention is also applicable with other x-ray imaging systems. In addition to reducing the required detector system dynamic range, the present invention provides an added advantage of reducing radiation dose.

Abstract: A method and system of counting and tagging radiation energy received by a radiation detector is presented. The method and system are designed to dynamically control the sampling window or shaping time characteristics of a photon counting detector to accommodate variations of flux experienced by the detector so as to preserve optimum detector performance and prevent saturation during high flux conditions.

Abstract: An interconnect structure for use in an electronic device, wherein the interconnect structure comprises a first substrate comprising a flexible material, wherein the first substrate comprises a front side and a back side, and wherein the first substrate is configured to receive a sensor on the front side; and a second substrate coupled to the back side of the first substrate and comprising a rigid material. A detector module for use in an imaging system comprises the aforementioned interconnect structure.

Abstract: An adaptive CT data acquisition system and technique is presented whereby radiation emitted for CT data acquisition is dynamically controlled to limit exposure to those detectors of a CT detector assembly that may be particularly susceptible to saturation during a given data acquisition. The data acquisition technique recognizes that for a given subject size and position that pre-subject filtering and collimating of a radiation beam may be insufficient to completely prevent detector saturation. Therefore, the present invention includes implementation of a number of CT data correction techniques for correcting otherwise unusable data of a saturated CT detector. These data correction techniques include a nearest neighbor correction, off-centered phantom correction, off-centered synthetic data correction, scout data correction, planar radiogram correction, and a number of others.

Abstract: An adaptive CT data acquisition system and technique is presented whereby radiation emitted for CT data acquisition is dynamically controlled to limit exposure to those detectors of a CT detector assembly that may be particularly susceptible to saturation during a given data acquisition. The data acquisition technique recognizes that for a given subject size and position that pre-subject filtering and collimating of a radiation beam may be insufficient to completely prevent detector saturation. Therefore, the present invention includes implementation of a number of CT data correction techniques for correcting otherwise unusable data of a saturated CT detector. These data correction techniques include a nearest neighbor correction, off-centered phantom correction, off-centered synthetic data correction, scout data correction, planar radiogram correction, and a number of others.