Abstract: A charged particle beam device for irradiating or inspecting a specimen is described. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source for generating a primary charged particle beam and a multi-aperture lens plate having a plurality of apertures for forming four or more primary. Two or more electrodes having one opening, e.g. having one opening each, for the primary charged particle beam or the four or more primary beamlets are provided. The charged particle beam device further includes a collimator for deflecting a first primary beamlet, a second primary beamlet, a third primary beamlet, and a fourth primary beamlet of the four or more primary beamlets with respect to each other. The charged particle beam device further includes an objective lens unit having three or more electrodes, each electrode having openings for the four or more primary beamlets.

Abstract: A method of operating a personal intelligent agent in an ambient computing environment, comprising receiving input; analyzing input to derive a user personal preference; associating the personal preference with a first context indicator; determining whether the personal preference is exposable; responsive to determining that the personal preference is exposable, storing the preference with the associated context indicator; detecting when the agent enters a detectable context and responsively creating a second context indicator; determining if there is a match between the second and the first context indicator; retrieving the exposable personal preference associated with the context indicator; creating an anonymous preference indicator comprising the exposable personal preference with the matched context; emitting the preference indicator over the ambient computing environment; and monitoring the ambient computing environment to detect any broadcast message indicating ability to satisfy the preference shown in

Abstract: The print head cover (83) of an electrostatic deflection inkjet printer is made of a material having an electrical surface resistivity of no more than 1012 ohms per square or an electrical volume resistivity of no more than 109 ohm metres and is electrically connected to an earth line (93, 97). This prevents build-up of electric charge on the cover (83). The resistance from the surface of the cover (83) to a place where a cover earth line (93) joins a signal earth line (97) or enters the umbilical (7) is at least 16000 times the resistance from that place to earth. This prevents an electrostatic discharge to the cover (83) disrupting the electronic circuits. The high resistance earth connection for the cover (83) avoids the need for an earthing wire braid in the umbilical (7). The cover (83) may be moulded from an antistatic or static dissipative material.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating disease, syndromes, conditions and disorders that are affected by the modulation of MALT-1. Such compounds are represented by Formula (I) and Formula (II), wherein the variables are defined herein.

Abstract: An approach for detecting unplanned changes in the link performance of a delay tolerant network and making automatic and immediate adjustments to the contact plans of the network to provide route revisions that will reallocate traffic load to improve network performance. Physical layer information is used to predict link performance and to adapt route computation to avoid disruption and to optimize contact performance. Prediction is based on advanced software defined radio observable phenomena such as signal to noise ratio, background noise measurements, and forward error correction bit error counts. This approach can enable a delay-tolerant network node to recompute routes and revise bundle forwarding decisions automatically in response to changes in the properties of the communication link.

Abstract: A machine learning and inferencing system to generate a personalised activity plan comprises a trained world context knowledge base; a trained personal digital memory store; a goal engine to establish an activity goal; an activity decomposition engine to decompose an activity into a logically-consistent sub-activities connected by; a ponderation engine to assign value weights to potential sub-activities; a graph generation engine to generate a multi-layer weighted graph to train a model of personalised outcomes of the sub-activities according to the value weights; a scenario generation engine to analyze the network of logically-consistent potential sub-activities connected by paths to determine a selected scenario path to the activity goal according to at least the model of personalised user outcomes; a feedback engine to apply learning from the scenario generation engine to the world context knowledge base and/or the personal digital memory store; and an output channel to output a personalised activity plan

Abstract: A virtual network verification service for provider networks that leverages a declarative logic programming language to allow clients to pose queries about their virtual networks as constraint problems; the queries may be resolved using a constraint solver engine. Semantics and logic for networking primitives of virtual networks in the provider network environment may be encoded as a set of rules according to the logic programming language; networking security standards and/or client-defined rules may also be encoded in the rules. A description of a virtual network may be obtained and encoded. A constraint problem expressed by a query may then be resolved for the encoded description according to the encoded rules using the constraint solver engine; the results may be provided to the client.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data processing system comprising: at least one modular processing tile comprising runtime-configurable processing circuitry; and a control module to control the at least one modular processing tile, said control module comprising: instruction decoding circuitry to decode instructions; information collecting circuitry to collect information relating to said at least one modular processing tile; and instruction processing circuitry to process instructions decoded by the instruction decoding circuitry, wherein, in response to an instruction to perform a processing task, said instruction processing circuitry generates configuration instruction based on the collected information relating to said at least one modular processing tile, and said runtime-configurable processing circuitry is configured at runtime to perform said processing task in response to said configuration instruction.

Abstract: A virtual network verification service for provider networks that leverages a declarative logic programming language to allow clients to pose queries about their virtual networks as constraint problems; the queries may be resolved using a constraint solver engine. Semantics and logic for networking primitives of virtual networks in the provider network environment may be encoded as a set of rules according to the logic programming language; networking security standards and/or client-defined rules may also be encoded in the rules. A description of a virtual network may be obtained and encoded. A constraint problem expressed by a query may then be resolved for the encoded description according to the encoded rules using the constraint solver engine; the results may be provided to the client.

Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting lithium metal ions from a lithium containing ore such as spodumene or lithium salts are provided. The lithium ore or salt is suspended in a hydroxide salt or eutectic and heated to produce a molten salt suspension that is used to electroplate lithiated transition metal oxides on an electrode. Lithium metal or lithium ions can be isolated from the deposited lithiated transition metal oxides. A second metal ore may be included in the suspension and processed with the lithium ore.

Abstract: Compounds and compositions for the transient expression of exogenous telomerase activity in a cell are provided. The compounds and compositions, which relate to a ribonucleic acid coding for a telomerase reverse transcriptase, are useful in the extension of telomeres in cells needing such treatment. Such cells include, for example, cells that contain shortened telomeres and cells from subjects that may benefit from telomere extension, for example subjects that suffer from, or are at risk of suffering from, age-related or other illnesses. Also provided are methods of extending telomeres through the administration of the provided compounds and compositions to animal cells, either in vitro or in vivo, and kits including the compounds or compositions and instructions for use.

Abstract: Electrodes for batteries, active stacks for batteries, batteries and methods of fabrication are described where the electrode has an LiCoO2 (LCO) electrode layer with a (110), (101), (104), or (003) crystallographic orientation or combinations thereof.

Abstract: For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats. The gap filler is installed by pushing down the gap filler into the gap between slats.

Abstract: We describe an improved conductive biocompatible scaffold for electroporation. The biocompatible scaffold comprises biocompatible material (e.g., collagen and/or other extracellular matrix) and incorporates a metal or polymer network or dispersion that conducts an electrical current through the scaffold. The material can adsorb or trap or bind nucleic acids (e.g., RNA or DNA), nanoparticles, proteins and/or small molecules; subsequently cells are placed in proximity to or in contact with the scaffold and an electrical current passed through the scaffold, thereby facilitating cellular entry of the nucleic acids, nanoparticles, proteins and/or small molecules, particularly into those cells that are in proximity of the scaffold.

Abstract: The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a deformable optical element including a substantially transparent transducer configured to deform, and thus change at least one optical property of, the deformable optical element. At least a portion of the substantially transparent transducer may be positioned within a substantially transparent optical aperture of the optical lens assembly. Various head-mounted displays incorporating such an optical lens assembly, and methods of fabricating the same, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for changing a set point of a system where period of a dominant resonance of the system is determined, a change profile for the set point change is processed; a time period for the set point change based on the period of the dominant resonance in order to minimize excitation of the dominant resonance is also processed; and the set point change is actioned according to the processed change profile and the time period.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally pertains to a dispensing system comprising a first chamber capable of receiving a bulk material to be dispensed, a first set of finned shafts positioned within the first chamber and capable of feeding bulk material into a second chamber, and a second set of finned shafts positioned within the second chamber and capable of dispensing a controlled dose of bulk material from the second chamber.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include a first rigid lens; a second rigid lens, a seal that couples the first rigid lens and the second rigid lens together, where the first rigid lens, the second rigid lens, and the seal define a cavity; and a fluid within the cavity, where the seal is adapted to admit expansions of the fluid within the cavity. Various other apparatuses and methods also disclosed.

Abstract: Compounds and compositions for the transient expression of exogenous telomerase activity in a cell are provided. The compounds and compositions, which relate to a ribonucleic acid coding for a telomerase reverse transcriptase, are useful in the extension of telomeres in cells needing such treatment. Such cells include, for example, cells that contain shortened telomeres and cells from subjects that may benefit from telomere extension, for example subjects that suffer from, or are at risk of suffering from, age-related or other illnesses. Also provided are methods of extending telomeres through the administration of the provided compounds and compositions to animal cells, either in vitro or in vivo, and kits including the compounds or compositions and instructions for use.

Abstract: A varifocal lens includes a substrate having an inclined region, a primary electrode disposed over the inclined region of the substrate, a dielectric layer disposed over the primary electrode, a deformable membrane disposed over and at least partially spaced away from the dielectric layer, a secondary electrode disposed over a surface of the deformable membrane facing toward or away from the dielectric layer and overlying at least a portion of the primary electrode, and a fluid between the membrane and the substrate, wherein a surface of the dielectric layer facing the secondary electrode comprises a textured surface.