Abstract: Deoxyhemoglobin contrast has been used to locate arteries based on the earlier blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal arrival time, higher BOLD signal strength, and shorter mean transit time. However, additional strategies of identifying arteries with oxygen modulation are required to improve the sensitivity and specificity of results. The present disclosure provides a method of distinguishing extravascular voxels from intravascular voxels based on the magnetic signal obtained from two hypoxic boluses having two different baselines. Intravascular voxels are responsive to changes in the baseline due to their high blood volume, while extravascular voxels are not affected by changes to the baseline. Amongst intravascular voxels, arteries can be distinguished from veins because the extraction fraction of the arterial blood is reduced during hypoxia, and therefore veins are less sensitive to changes in the baseline.

Abstract: The speed and range of the transition to low lung PO2 can be optimized such that it approaches the PO2 and timing profile of reoxygenation from a hypoxic profile. However, such hypoxic “spikes” are much more difficult to implement than re-oxygenation. A solution is to control the independent variables which contribute to hypoxia in the lung. These variables may be controlled in alone or in aggregate to minimize the time required to generate a target profile of transient lung hypoxia. In particular, a rapid decrease in [dOHb] can be implemented by breathing deeply, exhaling at least a portion of the functional residual capacity, lowering the PO2 at baseline, increasing the breathing rate, and increasing the PCO2 to shift the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve to the right.

Abstract: A method of implementing changes in deoxyhemoglobin concentration, the method comprising: targeting a sequence of partial pressures of oxygen in arterial blood (PaCh) values in a subject using a sequential gas delivery device in a periodic input pattern; measuring a blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in a voxel of the subject's brain using a magnetic resonance imaging device while targeting the sequence of values; comparing the pattern to the signal; and determining a vascular tissue characteristic (vessel type, vessel orientation, or pathological condition) for the voxel based on the comparison.

Abstract: Hypoxia-induced deoxy hemoglobin concentration ([dOHb]) may be used as a susceptibility contrast agent in subjects. While the maximal rate of generating blood [dOHb] are limited by constraints in pulmonary gas mixing, decreasing dOHb with reoxygenation of the lungs can be accomplished in one breath, resulting in a step reduction in arterial [dOHb] and thereby a step increase in cerebral BOLD signal recorded with MRI. The BOLD signal changes accompanying a step decrease in [dOHb] can be analyzed to calculate cerebral perfusion measures and compare their maps to those obtained using a bolus of a conventional contrast agent, gadolinium, and a conventional analysis requiring the identification of an arterial input function. The two methods provided comparable anatomically-distributed hemodynamic information.

Abstract: A user provides retailer-specific consents for access and use to private/sensitive information of the user. The private/sensitive information is centrally stored in a privacy vault. Retail services (retailer) that the user subscribes to are provided a user-specific and consent-specific token representing the user and consents to usage of specific private/sensitive information of the user. When the retailer has a need for user-specific private/sensitive information, the retailer presents the user-specific and consent-specific token to the privacy vault. Assuming, the retailer was given access to the requested private/sensitive information defined in the token, the privacy results returns the requested information to the retailer; otherwise, an unauthorized message is returned from the privacy vault to the retailer. The user defines the consents to each retailer and a record of the consents is maintained in the privacy vault.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assessing vascular compliance in subjects with multiple sclerosis using sequential gas delivery is provided. The apparatus includes a gas delivery device and a processor. The processor controls the gas delivery device to deliver a first and second gas during a single inspiration. The first gas contains a mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide necessary to target an end-tidal concentration of the two gases. The second gas includes a concentration of carbon dioxide equal to the target end-tidal concentration of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump assembly includes a pump head, a pump base defining a pump inlet and a pump outlet, a fluid outlet channel from the pump head to the pump outlet, impellers, defining an impeller fluid channel between an impeller inlet and outlet and connected with one of rotor shaft segments including a positive fit coupling for torque transfer between at least two rotor shaft segments, and one or more pump stage housing segments arranged between the pump base and the pump head. The pump stage housing segments have a structure defining a guide passage for receiving pumped fluid from the impeller outlet of the impellers and for guiding pumped fluid to the impeller inlet of another one of the impellers or to the pump head. The pump stage housing segments each have a structure defining at least a part of a wall section of the fluid outlet channel.

Abstract: Conventionally, the arterial input function is determined by administering a contrast agent and measuring the responsive magnetic signal in a reference voxel located in a large artery such as the middle cerebral artery. By instead measuring the signal in a voxel of the choroid plexus, a more accurate profile for the arterial input function may be obtained. The metabolic activity in the choroid plexus is negligible, which provides greater certainty for signal sampling.

Abstract: A user provides retailer-specific consents for access and use to private/sensitive information of the user. The private/sensitive information is centrally stored in a privacy vault. Retail services (retailer) that the user subscribes to are provided a user-specific and consent-specific token representing the user and consents to usage of specific private/sensitive information of the user. When the retailer has a need for user-specific private/sensitive information, the retailer presents the user-specific and consent-specific token to the privacy vault. Assuming, the retailer was given access to the requested private/sensitive information defined in the token, the privacy results returns the requested information to the retailer; otherwise, an unauthorized message is returned from the privacy vault to the retailer. The user defines the consents to each retailer and a record of the consents is maintained in the privacy vault.

Abstract: A user provides retailer-specific consents for access and use to private/sensitive information of the user. The private/sensitive information is centrally stored in a privacy vault. Retail services (retailer) that the user subscribes to are provided a user-specific and consent-specific token representing the user and consents to usage of specific private/sensitive information of the user. When the retailer has a need for user-specific private/sensitive information, the retailer presents the user-specific and consent-specific token to the privacy vault. Assuming, the retailer was given access to the requested private/sensitive information defined in the token, the privacy results returns the requested information to the retailer; otherwise, an unauthorized message is returned from the privacy vault to the retailer. The user defines the consents to each retailer and a record of the consents is maintained in the privacy vault.

Abstract: Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DRfluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DRsolid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DRfluid=DRsp*DRag of at least 150, wherein DRsp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DRag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DRsp being greater than 1 and DRag at least 1.

Abstract: A portable lightweight sun blocking shade system designed to provide freedom of movement under the shaded area, with a fast deployment and a safe fabric release under high wind conditions. To make shade over a desired area, position the holder apparatus to block sun, suspend the closed umbrella shade apparatus at the overhead hanger, open the suspended umbrella with a simple vertical lift of the lower handle to lock at the center shaft. To store shade, simply unlock the open umbrella with a push of the handle button, allow gravity to lower the handle, and remove the closed shade from the hanger. The holder apparatus can be left in place, or quickly removed for complete shade system storage.

Abstract: Global identity contexts are established for unique constituents to interact with a cloud architecture through a variety of relationships. The global identity context enables a particular constituent to access services from different cloud-service providers in a secure and simplified manner. Authenticating one account can provide access to services associated with other accounts linked to the global identity context for the authenticated account. In some embodiments, the global identity platform includes an account management application and an identity management application. The account management application is configured to register one or more accounts for each constituent. The identity management application is configured to perform individualization to establish an individual identifier for each unique constituent and map each account to a particular individual identifier and one or more local identifiers.

Abstract: A method of integrating data across multiple data stores is provided. The method includes ingesting diverse data from multiple data sources and reconciling the ingested diverse data by updating semantic models based on the ingested diverse data. The method further includes storing the ingested diverse data based on one or more classification of the data sources according to the semantic models and automatically generating scalable service endpoints that are semantically consistent according to the classification of the data sources. The generated scalable service endpoints are application programming interfaces. The method also includes determining a protocol based on the scalable service endpoints in response to receiving a call from the one or more recipient systems and responding to the call from the one or more recipient systems by providing data in the classification of the data sources.

Abstract: Deoxyhemoglobin in a subject may be modulated to act as a contrast agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging. Sequential gas delivery may be applied to adjust the level of deoxyhemoglobin in the subject. A suitable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequence that is sensitive to magnetic field inhomogeneities, such as a blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) sequence, may be used to detect deoxyhemoglobin as a contrast agent.

Abstract: User data is aggregated across a plurality of electronic communication channels and domains. An online system initially authenticates a user for access to the online system over a network. The online system provides a user identifier for the user to an authentication service. The authentication service generates a non-repeatable challenge from the aggregated user data for the user identifier and provides the non-repeatable challenge to the online system. The online system provides the challenge to the user and receives a response from the user. The online system provides the response to the authentication service and the authentication sends a success or failure back to the online system based on the response to the challenge, and based on the success or failure the online system makes a final determination for authenticating the user for accessing to the online system.

Abstract: Alveolar dead space of a subject is determined by measuring an end tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide during a sequence of normal breaths of the subject and, during a sequence of deep breaths by the subject, delivering a first volume of a first gas to the subject over a first portion of each inspiration by the subject. The first volume is less than or equal to an expected alveolar volume of the subject when the subject is breathing normally. A second volume of a second gas is delivered to the subject over a second portion of each inspiration. The second gas includes a neutral gas. An end tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide is measured during the sequence of deep breaths. The alveolar dead space is computed using the end tidal partial pressures of carbon dioxide measured during the sequence of normal breaths and the sequence of deep breaths.

Abstract: Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DRfluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DRsolid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DRfluid=DRsp*DRag of at least 150, wherein DRsp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DRag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DRsp being greater than 1 and DRag at least 1.

Abstract: User data is aggregated across a plurality of electronic communication channels and domains. An online system initially authenticates a user for access to the online system over a network. The online system provides a user identifier for the user to an authentication service. The authentication service generates a non-repeatable challenge from the aggregated user data for the user identifier and provides the non-repeatable challenge to the online system. The online system provides the challenge to the user and receives a response from the user. The online system provides the response to the authentication service and the authentication sends a success or failure back to the online system based on the response to the challenge, and based on the success or failure the online system makes a final determination for authenticating the user for accessing to the online system.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump assembly includes a pump head, a pump base defining a pump inlet and a pump outlet, a fluid outlet channel from the pump head to the pump outlet, impellers, defining an impeller fluid channel between an impeller inlet and outlet and connected with one of rotor shaft segments including a positive fit coupling for torque transfer between at least two rotor shaft segments, and one or more pump stage housing segments arranged between the pump base and the pump head. The pump stage housing segments have a structure defining a guide passage for receiving pumped fluid from the impeller outlet of the impellers and for guiding pumped fluid to the impeller inlet of another one of the impellers or to the pump head. The pump stage housing segments each have a structure defining at least a part of a wall section of the fluid outlet channel.