Abstract: An extrusion system, for example for extruding a food product, that includes: an extruder, which propels extrudate through an outlet of the extruder; and a valve. The valve includes: an inlet, which receives extrudate from the extruder outlet; a main conduit, which extends from the inlet to a main outlet; a dumping conduit, which extends from a junction with the main conduit to a dumping outlet; and a flow control member, which is operable to move between: a plurality of flow controlling positions, in which extrudate is directed to the main outlet, with the flow control member providing, for each flow controlling position, a respective amount of impedance to flow along the main conduit; and a flow diverting position, in which extrudate is directed along the dumping conduit to the dumping outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for managing user identity, the method comprising: establishing a connection secured with Transport Layer Security (TLS) from a client device to an IRP server; authenticating, at the IRP server, user login via the client device, with Strong Client Authentication (SCA) or Username/Password Authentication (UPA); upon request from the client device, registering or retrieving at the IRP server user identity information comprising user information, and an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the client device; upon request from the client device, registering or retrieving at the IRP server one or more digital certificate; sending from the client device to the IRP server a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) via the secured connection; upon request from the client device, returning a signed digital certificate from the IRP server to the client device; sending a PKCS #12 package from the client device to the IRP server; and upon request from the client device, returning a PKCS #12 package from t

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into a blood vessel, the catheter having a sampling part arranged to capture a blood sample at a plurality of locations along a length of the blood vessel and an apparatus arranged to analyze blood taken from a plurality of locations along the length of the blood vessel and to provide a profile of concentration levels along the length of the blood vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for managing user identity, the method comprising: establishing a connection secured with Transport Layer Security (TLS) from a client device to an IRP server; authenticating, at the IRP server, user login via the client device, with Strong Client Authentication (SCA) or Username/Password Authentication (UPA); upon request from the client device, registering or retrieving at the IRP server user identity information comprising user information, and an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the client device; upon request from the client device, registering or retrieving at the IRP server one or more digital certificate; sending from the client device to the IRP server a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) via the secured connection; upon request from the client device, returning a signed digital certificate from the IRP server to the client device; sending a PKCS#12 package from the client device to the IRP server; and upon request from the client device, returning a PKCS#12 package from the

Abstract: Detection and use of relationships in tabular data is enhanced. A foreign-key-based relationship between two tables in memory is automatically discovered by a module. A view over table data is computationally augmented by adding an expandable hierarchical column. The expandable hierarchical column includes second table data that is related to rows of a first table by the discovered foreign-key-based relationship. A naming scheme for the added column is described. Sometimes the augmentation places an AddJoinColumn operator in a query expression tree; sometimes the tree is rewritten by moving a query operator or replacing a specified pattern of operators by a flat Join operation between two tables. Column expansion may be followed by reshaping data into a flat table, by getting a homogeneous query, by performing a join, or other operations.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for handling capsules in a capsule processing equipment. The invention also relates to capsule processing equipment, such as an inspection equipment or a capsule printing equipment that includes such an apparatus.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a generic database application of a computer system receives a portion of input data from a database. The generic database application can communicate with the database using a variety of different database schemas. The generic database application of the computer system infers a portion of ORM metadata associated with the received input data. The computer system accesses a generic ORM query where the ORM query is configured to provide mapping information to map the input data into a graph of objects according to the database object properties included in the ORM metadata. The computer system maps the input data into a graph of objects using the database object properties included in the ORM metadata and displays an ORM object view which includes the graph of objects.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for handling capsules in a capsule processing equipment. The invention also relates to capsule processing equipment, such as an inspection equipment or a capsule printing equipment that includes such an apparatus.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into a blood vessel, the catheter having a sampling part arranged to capture a blood sample at a plurality of locations along a length of the blood vessel and an apparatus arranged to analyse blood taken from a plurality of locations along the length of the blood vessel and to provide a profile of concentration levels along the length of the blood vessel.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer system defines a generic relational meta-schema (GRMS), where the GRMS describes a generic representation for relational schemas and where the GRMS includes metadata indicating how a relational schema is to be stored as data in the data store. The computer system also defines describes a generic relational data schema (GRDS), where the GRDS describes a generic representation for relational data and where the GRDS includes metadata that indicates how relational data is to be stored in the data store in a generic fashion not necessarily complying with the relational schema for the data. Next, the computer system stores data in the data store according to the generic relational data schema and stores metadata as data in the data store according to the generic relational meta-schema.

Abstract: An optical package includes a semiconductor laser, a wavelength conversion device and a MEMS-actuated mirror oriented on a base module to form a folded optical pathway between an output of the semiconductor laser and an input of the wavelength conversion device. An optical assembly is located in a mechanical positioning device and the mechanical positioning device is disposed on the base module along the optical pathway such that the beam of the semiconductor laser passes through the optical assembly, is reflected by the MEMS-actuated mirror back through the optical assembly and into the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The MEMS-actuated mirror is operable to scan the beam of the semiconductor laser over the input of the wavelength conversion device. The optical assembly may be adjusted along the optical pathway with the mechanical positioning device to focus the beam into the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a generic database application of a computer system receives a portion of input data from a database. The generic database application can communicate with the database using a variety of different database schemas. The generic database application of the computer system infers a portion of ORM metadata associated with the received input data. The computer system accesses a generic ORM query where the ORM query is configured to provide mapping information to map the input data into a graph of objects according to the database object properties included in the ORM metadata. The computer system maps the input data into a graph of objects using the database object properties included in the ORM metadata and displays an ORM object view which includes the graph of objects.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for accessing and manipulating data in a data flow graph. A data flow graph includes one more transforms for transforming data from one or more data stores into different formats accessible to clients. Transforms can be configured to join and split data from the same or different data stores. A metadata tree logically represents the data flow graph including locations that provide output from transforms of the data flow graph. The locations can be referenced by clients to access transformed outputs. Clients can register dependencies on data at various locations and can request evaluation of the data in response to data changes at a corresponding data store. Clients can also request data changes be propagated back through the data flow graph to one or more data stores and implemented at the one or more data stores.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into a blood vessel, the catheter having a sampling part arranged to capture a blood sample at a plurality of locations along a length of the blood vessel and an apparatus arranged to analyse blood taken from a plurality of locations along the length of the blood vessel and to provide a profile of concentration levels along the length of the blood vessel.

Abstract: An injection device is for use with a syringe having a bore extending from an end surface, a needle communicating with the bore through the end surface and a dispensing piston movable in the bore towards the end surface. The injection device includes a housing having an opening, a resilient member for biasing the syringe and needle inwardly of the housing, a drive element movable towards the one end so as to move the needle out of the opening against the bias of the resilient member, a delatch mechanism operable to release the syringe such that the needle moves inwardly of the housing, and a drive coupling. The drive coupling gradually reduces in length such that, after the drive element has moved the dispensing piston to the end surface, the drive element continues to move to the dispensing piston at the end surface.

Abstract: Glass-based micropositioning systems and methods are disclosed. The micropositioning systems and methods utilize microbumps (40) formed in a glass substrate (12 or 100). The microbumps are formed by subjecting a portion of the glass substrate to localized heating, which results in local rapid expansion of glass where the heat was applied. The height and shape of the microbumps depend on the type of glass substrate and the amount and form of heat delivered to the substrate. The microbumps allow for active or passive micropositioning of optical elements, including planar waveguides and optical fibers. Optical assemblies formed using microbump micropositioners are also disclosed.

Abstract: A pseudo-coaxial vertical transition (10) includes a substrate (16). A bump array is disposed in a substantially concentric bump pattern upon the substrate (16) for simulating a pseudo-coaxial vertical electromagnetic wave propagation. The bump array is formed from a centrally disposed bump (32) having a predetermined bump diameter, and a plurality of at least five ground bumps (36) substantially equi-distant and circularly disposed about the centrally disposed bump (32). The predetermined bump diameter and a bump spacing of the centrally disposed bump are determined in relation to the plurality of ground bumps and a dielectric constant of air for providing a characteristic impedance.

Abstract: A body fluid sampling system is provided. In one embodiment, the system may comprise a penetrating member driver, a plurality of penetrating members sufficient for penetrating tissue; a tape coupling together at least two of the penetrating members; and a penetrating member release device removing the penetrating member from a sterile environment prior to use and moving the penetrating member into position to be operatively coupled to the penetrating member driver. The driver may comprises of a drive force generator for advancing the penetrating member and a processor coupled to the drive force generator capable of changing the direction and magnitude of force exerted on the penetrating member during the lancing cycle. The driver may further include a human interface on the housing providing at least one output for communicating with the patient.

Abstract: An optically active fiber (30) is disclosed for making a fiber laser (18) or an amplifier (16) for optically pumping by a broad area laser diode for operation in the 1.5 micron band. This double-clad structured active fiber (30) has a core (34), doped with an optically excitable erbium ion having a quasi-three-level transition. The core (3) has a core refractive index and a core cross-sectional area. An inner cladding (32) surrounds the core (34). The inner cladding (32) has an inner cladding refractive index less than the core refractive index, an inner cladding cross-sectional area between 2 and 25 times greater than that of the core cross-sectional area, and an aspect ratio greater than 1.5:1. An outer cladding (36) surrounds the inner cladding (32) and has an outer cladding refractive index less than the inner cladding refractive index.

Abstract: A power semiconductor assembly, particularly a semiconductor switch assembly which has a number of discrete emitter connection pads, comprised of a metal matrix composite housing and a copper or aluminum post with a cross-sectional area sufficiently large to carry the rated current providing a single-point, external connection to all emitter pads. The post passes through and is supported by an insulating ceramic insert such as aluminum oxide in the wall of the metal matrix composite housing. The post is hollowed out in the region where it passes through the ceramic insert in order to reduce the mechanical stress between the post and the insulating insert as a result of the mismatch in their thermal expansion coefficients. Buses on either side of the semiconductor die provide surfaces for connection from the post to the discrete emitter connection pads on the die.