Abstract: A method is provided for use in analyzing seeds, in a population of seeds, for one or more desired characteristic. The method includes removing tissue from individual seeds in a population of seeds using an automated seed sampler, while preserving germination viability of the seeds, and analyzing the tissue for the presence or absence of one or more desired characteristic. The method then includes, based on the analysis of the tissue, allocating at least one of the individual seeds for planting in a geography associated with the breeding program.

Abstract: A falloposcope is described, and a method of screening a patient for fallopian tube and/or ovarian cancer with the falloposcope. The falloposcope can perform optical imaging, including fluorescence imaging and/or optical coherence tomography (OCT), and optionally include a channel for a sampling wire, within a diameter of about 0.7 millimeter. The method includes inserting the falloposcope through a lumen of vagina, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tube so a tip of the falloposcope is in proximity to a first fallopian tube or ovary of the patient; providing fluorescence stimulus wavelength through an illumination fiber of the falloposcope while imaging light at fluorescence emission wavelength through a coherent fiber bundle to form fluorescence emissions images; and determining suspect tissue. Then the sampling wire is used to collect cells from the suspect tissue for karyotype and other analysis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently serving blockchain requests using an optimized cache are disclosed herein. An example method normalizing a request for blockchain data into a key, the request including a hash of a canonical head block of the blockchain data, searching a distributed key value store using the key, the distributed key value store comprising key value pairs, each of the key value pairs being associated with responsive blockchain data, determining when one of the key value pairs match the key, placing a pending job space for a job in the distributed key value store when one of the key value pairs is not found, and storing a new key value pair in the distributed key value store when a response for the request is obtained, the response being new responsive blockchain data.

Abstract: Methods for producing hepatocytes from pluripotent human stem cells are disclosed herein. The stem cells are plated on a cell culture substrate comprising two laminins. The stem cells are then exposed to different cell culture mediums to induce differentiation. The resulting hepatocytes have higher metabolic capacity compared to hepatocytes cultured on different substrates.

Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for detecting counterfeit objects, based on comparison to digital fingerprints that describe features found in images of objects known to be counterfeit.

Abstract: A brush bar including a central core in the form of a rigid tube, a plurality of outwardly extending bristles in the form of at least one bristle strip, and a sealing material extending over substantially the entire remaining circumferential and axial extent of the brush bar, the at least one bristle strip having a root portion which is sandwiched between the sealing material and the central core or which is attached on top of the sealing material.

Abstract: A forgery detection system includes a computer server and a database system of digital fingerprint records corresponding to forged or altered objects of a given object type. Using the computer server, a digital image of a suspect object of the given object type is accessed, an authentication region is selected, and a native feature within the authentication region is extracted. The native feature describes physical characteristics of the authentication region without recognizing content that appears in the authentication region. The computer server forms a feature vector to represent the native feature in a compact form and queries the database system to obtain a result responsive to digital fingerprint records that match the feature vector. Each matching digital fingerprint record is counted, and if the count of fraud indicator matches crosses a predetermined threshold indicating a confidence level that the suspect object is forged or altered, a report based is generated and communicated to a user interface.

Abstract: A falloposcope is described, and a method of screening a patient for fallopian tube and/or ovarian cancer with the falloposcope. The falloposcope can perform optical imaging, including fluorescence imaging and/or optical coherence tomography (OCT), and optionally include a channel for a sampling wire, within a diameter of about 0.7 millimeter. The method includes inserting the falloposcope through a lumen of vagina, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tube so a tip of the falloposcope is in proximity to a first fallopian tube or ovary of the patient; providing fluorescence stimulus wavelength through an illumination fiber of the falloposcope while imaging light at fluorescence emission wavelength through a coherent fiber bundle to form fluorescence emissions images; and determining suspect tissue. Then the sampling wire is used to collect cells from the suspect tissue for karyotype and other analysis.

Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for detecting counterfeit objects, based on comparison to digital fingerprints that describe features found in images of objects known to be counterfeit.

Abstract: A forgery detection system includes a computer server and a database system of digital fingerprint records corresponding to forged or altered objects of a given object type. Using the computer server, a digital image of a suspect object of the given object type is accessed, an authentication region is selected, and a native feature within the authentication region is extracted. The native feature describes physical characteristics of the authentication region without recognizing content that appears in the authentication region. The computer server forms a feature vector to represent the native feature in a compact form and queries the database system to obtain a result responsive to digital fingerprint records that match the feature vector. Each matching digital fingerprint record is counted, and if the count of fraud indicator matches crosses a predetermined threshold indicating a confidence level that the suspect object is forged or altered, a report based is generated and communicated to a user interface.

Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for detecting counterfeit objects, based on comparison to digital fingerprints that describe features found in images of objects known to be counterfeit.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an input bin for receiving a stack of envelopes, a conveyor for conveying each envelope of the stack along an envelope path, and a cartridge retainer adapted for electrical connection to an inkjet cartridge defining a 1×M array of inkjet printing nozzles. The apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the cartridge retainer and configured to activate the inkjet cartridge nozzles to deposit ink droplets according to a predetermined duty cycle able to cause printing, on an envelope conveyed at a first feed rate, a first indicium having a density of M×N dots per inch, where N is greater than M/2 and less than M. The conveyor, however, conveys envelopes faster than the first feed rate, whereby the first indicium is printed at a density of less than M×N dots per inch on a moving envelopes.

Abstract: Methods for producing hepatocytes from pluripotent human stem cells are disclosed herein. The stem cells are plated on a cell culture substrate comprising two laminins. The stem cells are then exposed to different cell culture mediums to induce differentiation. The resulting hepatocytes have higher metabolic capacity compared to hepatocytes cultured on different substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an input bin for receiving a stack of envelopes, a conveyor for conveying each envelope of the stack along an envelope path, and a cartridge retainer adapted for electrical connection to an inkjet cartridge defining a 1×M array of inkjet printing nozzles. The apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the cartridge retainer and configured to activate the inkjet cartridge nozzles to deposit ink droplets according to a predetermined duty cycle able to cause printing, on an envelope conveyed at a first feed rate, a first indicium having a density of M×N dots per inch, where N is greater than M/2 and less than M. The conveyor, however, conveys envelopes faster than the first feed rate, whereby the first indicium is printed at a density of less than M×N dots per inch on a moving envelopes.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a multiphase flow in a pipe, the apparatus comprising: a first monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide first output data representing a respective concentration of one phase of a plurality of phases, or a mixture of at least two of the phases, in the multiphase flow by processing at least one first variable representing electrical permittivity of one phase or a mixture of at least two of the phases of the multiphase flow; a second monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide second output data representing a respective concentration of one phase, or a mixture of at least two of the phases, of the plurality of phases in the multiphase flow by processing at least one second variable representing electrical conductivity of one phase or a mixture of at least two of the phases of the multiphase flow; and a third monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide third output data representing a respective velocity of at least one

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a multiphase flow in a pipe, the apparatus comprising: a first monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide first output data representing a respective concentration of one phase of a plurality of phases, or a mixture of at least two of the phases, in the multiphase flow by processing at least one first variable representing electrical permittivity of one phase or a mixture of at least two of the phases of the multiphase flow; a second monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide second output data representing a respective concentration of one phase, or a mixture of at least two of the phases, of the plurality of phases in the multiphase flow by processing at least one second variable representing electrical conductivity of one phase or a mixture of at least two of the phases of the multiphase flow; and a third monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide third output data representing a respective velocity of at least one

Abstract: Methods for producing hepatocytes from pluripotent human stem cells are disclosed herein. The stem cells are plated on a cell culture substrate comprising two laminins. The stem cells are then exposed to different cell culture mediums to induce differentiation. The resulting hepatocytes have higher metabolic capacity compared to hepatocytes cultured on different substrates.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a multiphase flow in a pipe, the apparatus comprising: a first monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide first output data representing a respective concentration of one phase of a plurality of phases, or a mixture of at least two of the phases, in the multiphase flow by processing at least one first variable representing electrical permittivity of one phase or a mixture of at least two of the phases of the multiphase flow; a second monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide second output data representing a respective concentration of one phase, or a mixture of at least two of the phases, of the plurality of phases in the multiphase flow by processing at least one second variable representing electrical conductivity of one phase or a mixture of at least two of the phases of the multiphase flow; and a third monitoring module coupled to the pipe and adapted to provide third output data representing a respective velocity of at least one