Abstract: The disclosure deals with a system and method for building teams in response to a teaming opportunity. In one exemplary embodiment disclosed herewith, a system and method for building teams for Request for Proposals (RFPs) is described where potential team participants are researchers at one or more institutions. A computer-based method and computer system, given RFPs from funding agencies like NSF, DOE and NASA, recommends a team of experts from various faculties and departments of the organization, like a university, that would best fit the needs of the RFP and have a high chance of putting a successful proposal together. The system generates teams that may match the requirements of an RFP. In addition, the system optimizes the list of teams to maximize winning success and to reduce redundancy. The system input includes RFPs and the researchers' public information. The system output is a list of proposed teams, each team with two or more members.

Abstract: Techniques are described, as implemented by computing devices, to provide digital content to users through use of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). This is performed by leveraging a blockchain such that digital content associated with an item is made available to encourage the user to interact with NFTs on the service provider platform (e.g., discounts, NFT listing functionality, automatic initiation of NFT transfers, and so forth) based on a user's possession of the NFT.

Abstract: Fingerprinting physical items to mint NFTs is described. One or more features of a physical item are captured using a fingerprint capture system of a client device, and a fingerprint of the physical item is generated using the captured features of the physical item. The fingerprint of the physical item is provided to an authentication service to verify that the physical item corresponds to an authentic physical item by matching the fingerprint of the physical item to distinguishing features of the authentic physical item. Responsive to verification by the authentication service, a digital twin NFT is minted on a blockchain using the matched fingerprint. A combined listing for the physical item and the digital twin NET is then generated on a listing platform.

Abstract: Adding additional value to NFTs is described. An association of a non-fungible token (NET) with a user account is verified based on an address of a digital wallet that corresponds to the user account and that is encoded into the NET stored on a blockchain. After verifying the association of the NET with the user account, a condition relative to the NET is detected. Responsive to detecting the condition, ownership of an earned item is conferred to the user account. An NFT collection is formed by digitally bundling the NFT and the earned item, and a listing of the NFT collection is generated for the user account. The listing specifies that the NFT collection includes both the NFT and the earned item.

Abstract: Listing NFTs associated with physical items is described. Input specifying at least one obligation to be performed as a condition for transferring an NET from a first digital wallet to a second digital wallet is received. A listing for the NFT is then generated with information that describes the NET and the at least one obligation. A smart contract template is also generated, which includes instructions that are configured to ensure performance of the at least one obligation and transfer the NET from the first digital wallet to the second digital wallet. Responsive to purchase of the NFT via the listing, a smart contract is generated by updating the smart contract template with an identifier of the second digital wallet, and the NFT is transferred by executing the smart contract using a distributed state machine implemented on a blockchain.

Abstract: An electrochemical additive manufacturing method includes positioning a build plate into an electrolyte solution. The conductive layer comprises at least one conductive-layer segment forming a pattern corresponding with a component. The method further comprises connecting the at least one conductive-layer segment and one or more deposition anodes to a power source. The one or more deposition anodes correspond with at least a portion of the pattern formed by the at least one conductive-layer segment. The method additionally comprises transmitting electrical energy from the power source through the one or more deposition anodes of the plurality of deposition anodes corresponding with the at least the portion of the pattern formed by the at least one conductive-layer segment, through the electrolyte solution, and to the at least one conductive-layer segment, such that material is deposited onto the at least one conductive-layer segment and forms at least a portion of the component.

Abstract: Techniques are described, as implemented by computing devices, to control access to digital content through use of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). This is performed by leveraging a blockchain such that digital content associated with an item is made available to supplement use of the item (e.g., to supplement use of a physical item, digital content, and so forth) or make other functionality available based on a user's possession of the item.

Abstract: A board-to-board connector assembly includes first and second connector assemblies and a connector interconnect between the first and second connector assemblies. Each connector assembly includes an outer shell and a connector received in a cavity of the outer shell. The connector has a connector body holding contacts in a card slot, which receives a circuit card edge of an add-in card. The outer shell has an outer board guide configured to engage the add-in card and guide mating of the outer shell with the add-in card. The outer shell has a latch configured to latchably engage the add-in card to secure the connector to the add-in card. The connector interposer electrically interconnects the contacts of the connector assemblies to electrically connect the add-in cards.

Abstract: A communication system includes a plug connector mated with a receptacle connector. The receptacle connector includes a housing holding a contact assembly. The housing includes a front housing that receives an inner housing, which receives contact holders and receptacle contacts of the contact assembly. The receptacle connector housing includes a height profile defined between top and bottom walls with a housing latch and guide pockets contained within the height profile. The plug connector includes a housing holding a cable assembly with a circuit card received in a card slot of the receptacle housing. The plug connector housing includes alignment embossments received in the guide pockets and latches coupled to the alignment embossments are latchably coupled to the receptacle connector. The latches are contained within a height profile of the plug connector housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a card slot at a mating end configured to pass through a panel opening of a panel forward of the panel for receiving a circuit card. A cable end of the housing is rearward of the panel. The electrical connector assembly includes contacts held in the housing. The electrical connector assembly includes cables terminated to the contacts and extending from the housing. The electrical connector assembly includes a connector mounting bracket having a collar surrounding a window receiving the housing. The connector mounting bracket has mounting latches extending from the collar with latch fingers configured to be coupled to the panel. The connector mounting bracket includes a biasing element configured to engage the panel to bias the panel against the mounting latches.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides novel macrocyclic peptides which inhibit the PD-1/PD-L1 and PD-L1/CD80 protein/protein interaction, and thus are useful for the amelioration of various diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases.

Abstract: A receptacle coupler includes a coupler contact assembly having upper and lower contacts each having a front mating beam configured to mate with a front module circuit board and a rear mating beam configured to mate with a rear module circuit board with an intermediate portion therebetween. The coupler contact assembly includes a contact holder holding the upper and lower contacts. The receptacle coupler includes a coupler housing having a contact chamber receiving the coupler contact assembly and front and rear receptacles configured to receive the module circuit boards. The coupler housing holds the coupler contact assembly with the front mating beams in the front receptacle for mating with the front module circuit board and the rear mating beams in the rear receptacle for mating with the rear module circuit board.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices, systems, and methods for tissue resection in a body lumen of a patient, and may include an elongate body having a cavity at a distal end and a tissue retractor extendable distally from the distal end of the elongate body. The tissue retractor may include an expansion mechanism. The expansion mechanism may include a plurality of arms each having a first end coupled around a distal cap and expandable radially outward from the distal cap such that an anchoring mechanism on a second end of the arms is engageable with selected tissue for resection of the body lumen. The tissue resection device may further include a tissue resecting device.

Abstract: Various aspects of the invention relate to methods and devices for treating diseases and conditions including atherosclerosis and endocarditis using low-temperature, non-equilibrium plasmas. A device may be, for example, a catheter that carries electrodes and a dielectric material for generating a localized, non-equilibrium plasma in a bodily fluid such as blood.

Abstract: A step editor for data preparation can instruct a user interface to present a first plurality of operations to be applied in a sequential order to one or more sets of data, receive user inputs including at least one indication to mute at least one operation of the first plurality of operations to prevent the processors from performing the at least one operation, generate a second plurality of operations, the second plurality of operations to be applied in a sequential order to the sets of data and comprising the first plurality of operations excluding the operation muted by the user inputs, obtain a cached data traversal program associated with the second plurality of operations and comprising a representation of a result of transforming the sets of data, and instruct the user interface to present output based at least in part on execution of the cached data traversal program.

Abstract: A medical imaging marker device includes, a main marker body, an outer side visual radiolucent placement indicator, an inner side visual radiolucent placement indicator, an anatomical side visual radiolucent indicator, visual radiolucent length measurement indicator, an attachment system; and a slidable marker piece, including a slidable marker body and a radiopaque marker; such that the slidable marker body is detachably positionable on an image receptor, such that an image of an anatomical target structure taken with the image receptor includes an image portion of the radiopaque marker, which indicates a side orientation of the anatomical target structure.

Abstract: A system for performing secure maintenance on automated machines may include a maintenance management apparatus and an automated machine. The maintenance management apparatus is configured for scheduling the maintenance appointment for the automated machine, in response to scheduling the maintenance appointment and creating and communicating a maintenance security code to the automated machine. The automated machine is configured for receiving a request from a maintenance provider to initiate the maintenance appointment, validating the maintenance provider using the maintenance security code and providing access to a secure item storage unit, determining that the maintenance provider has completed the maintenance appointment, and communicating information associated with the maintenance appointment to the maintenance management apparatus and/or a computing device of the maintenance provider.

Abstract: A plug connector assembly includes first and second plug connectors each including a plug housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall forming a cavity. The side walls include a housing securing feature. The plug connector assembly includes a flex jumper assembly coupled between the plug connectors having a flex circuit extending between first and second paddle cards. The paddle cards each include a rigid substrate having a mating end and side edges extending to a flex circuit end. The rigid substrate includes a plug connector securing feature at the side edge engaging the housing securing feature to retain the paddle card in the corresponding plug housing. The flex circuit is flexible between the first and second paddle cards.

Abstract: A portable power supply including an internal power source, an AC output, a DC output, and an input unit configured to receive power from a first external source. The portable power supply further includes a first power conversion unit configured to convert the power received from the first external source to a first DC power used for charging the internal power source, an AC power conversion unit configured to convert power output by the internal power source to an AC power used for powering a first peripheral device connected to the AC output, and a DC power conversion unit configured to convert power output by the internal power source to a second DC power used for powering a second peripheral device connected to the DC output.