Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing rings cut from pipes for use in making subsea pipelines are described. The method for determining the whether a test ring is correctly assembled in a test chamber for testing pipes for use in making subsea pipelines comprises: mounting a test ring in a pressure chamber such that the ends of the test ring forms seals with opposing surfaces of the chamber to isolate the inside of the test ring from the outside; providing means for measuring the displacement of the test ring; providing means for measuring a force applied to the inner surface of the test ring; applying a force to the inner surface of the test ring; and using the displacement measurement and force measurements to determine whether the test ring is correctly mounted in the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A system includes at least partially autonomous vehicles, at least partially separated interconnected roadways, and a management system. Each of the vehicles is configured to cooperate with another vehicle or an area controller. The management system is configured to receive requests to transport, which may have respective start points and respective destinations. Additionally, the management system is configured, responsive to receiving the request, to assign a vehicle to fulfill the request. The assigned vehicle is configured to transport a person from the respective start point, at least in part via the interconnected roadways, to the respective destination.

Abstract: A solar photovoltaic (PV) water heating system includes a tank (1.020) including at least a first heating unit (1.016) having at least first and second heating elements (1.016.1 . . . 1.016.x), at least one of which is switchable (1.014.1A . . . 1.014.1m); a PV solar collector (1.002); an inverter (1.004) adapted to convert the output from the PV collector to an alternating power supply; a modulator (1.060) to modulate the alternating power supply from the inverter; a controller (1.040) adapted to control the modulator and the switching of the or each switchable heating element; wherein the controller is adapted to control the modulator and the switchable heating elements to maximize the energy drawn from the PC collector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for purposeful computing are disclosed that, among other things, include enabling an operating system for connected computing configured for identification, evaluation, selection, and/or use of suitable to user purposes' resources to produce outcomes optimized to such purposes' fulfillment. Such resources populate a distributed resource ecosphere and have associated attributes that inform regarding resource suitability.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel p-toluenesulfonic acid salt and a crystalline polymorphic Form 1 of said salt of 1-((2S,5R)-5-((7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)amino)-2-methylpiperidin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one, pharmaceutical composition containing the same, as well as preparations and uses thereof. The present invention also discloses a novel phosphoric acid salt of 1-((2S,5R)-5-((7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)amino)-2-methylpiperidin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one, pharmaceutical composition containing the same, as well as preparations and uses thereof.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing a medicinal, nutraceutical, or food fullerene composition, including providing anisotropy in polar and non-polar C60 fullerene hemispheres to create one face of C60 fullerene having a small number of OH-groups clustered to the polar face; providing an amount of a polyhydroxylated fullerene from C60 fullerene; and blending the amount of the polyhydroxylated fullerene with an acceptable ionomer or an acceptable carrier or both. The polyhydroxylated fullerene includes fullerol-'x? and the amount includes 200 ppm or 500 ppm, wherein ‘x’ is less than 22. The acceptable ionomer includes honey, or a mixture of 3% by wt. sucrose, 1% by wt. proline, 0.2% by wt. magnesium citrate, and 1% by wt. beta-cyclodextrin. The acceptable carrier includes water or a gelatin. A stent, a medical bandage, medical packing material, medical drainage material, acupuncture support, topical ointment, or suture material is impregnated with an anisotropic polyhydroxylated fullerene for antimicrobial action.

Abstract: Concentrations are determined based on a measurement of a composition (X) by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The LIBS spectrum (Sx) comprises resonance peaks (Rk,Rca,Rna) corresponding to the constituents (K,Ca,Na) in the composition (X). The resonance peaks comprise spectral amplitudes (Pk,Pca,Dna,Pna) indicative of the unknown concentrations (Cna,Ck,Cca) of the constituents (K,Ca,Na). A first spectral amplitude (Pk,Pca,Dna) in the LIBS spectrum (Sx) corresponds to the unknown concentration (Ck,Cca,Cna) of a first constituent (K,Ca,Na) to be determined. A second spectral amplitude (Pna) corresponds to a maximum value of a self-reversed resonance peak (Rna) of the first or another constituent (Na) in the LIBS spectrum (Sx). An amplitude ratio (Pk/Pna, Pca/Pna, Dna/Pna) is calculated between the first spectral amplitude (Pk,Pca,Dna) and the second spectral amplitude (Pna) and the ratio is matched with calibration data to determine concentrations.

Abstract: A multi phase soft gelatin dosage form comprising at least one preformed solid dosage form and at least one liquid fill phase. The multi phase soft gelatin dosage forms of the present invention are especially useful to combine at least one solid dosage form and at least one liquid phase for single ingestion. Method and apparatus for manufacturing the multi phase soft gelatin dosage forms are also described. The solid phase, liquid phase or coatings may comprise active pharmaceutical ingredients, nutraceuticals, nutritional supplements, therapeutic substances, functional excipients or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A system includes at least partially autonomous vehicles, at least partially separated interconnected roadways, and a management system. Each of the vehicles is configured to cooperate with another vehicle or an area controller. The management system is configured to receive requests to transport, which may have respective start points and respective destinations. Additionally, the management system is configured, responsive to receiving the request, to assign a vehicle to fulfill the request. The assigned vehicle is configured to transport a person from the respective start point, at least in part via the interconnected roadways, to the respective destination.

Abstract: Methods and systems for removal of ions from aqueous fluids are provided. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of removing one or more oxyanions from an aqueous fluid, including the steps of contacting an aqueous fluid containing oxyanions with an aluminum metal whereby aluminum ions are released from the aluminum metal into the aqueous fluid, wherein the one or more oxyanions in the aqueous fluid react with the aluminum ions to form one or more ettringites; controlling a rate of release of the aluminum ions from the aluminum metal; and removing at least a portion of precipitated ettringites from the aqueous fluid.

Abstract: A computer keyboard is refurbished by applying to its keys stickers each bearing a character designating the action of a respective key. For application of the stickers to the keys, the stickers are configured and arranged on an application tape in a layout congruent with the layout of the keys by a digital scan of the keyboard. The stickers are temporarily attached to the application tape by a peelable adhesive and then permanently attached to the keys by a pressure-sensitive permanent adhesive.

Abstract: Methods and systems for removal of ions from aqueous fluids are provided. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of removing one or more oxyanions from an aqueous fluid, including the steps of contacting an aqueous fluid containing oxyanions with an aluminum metal whereby aluminum ions are released from the aluminum metal into the aqueous fluid, wherein the one or more oxyanions in the aqueous fluid react with the aluminum ions to form one or more ettringites; controlling a rate of release of the aluminum ions from the aluminum metal; and removing at least a portion of precipitated ettringites from the aqueous fluid.

Abstract: An ocular imaging system comprising: an image acquisition module which acquires a retinal image; a landmark location prediction module which predicts locations of at least two landmarks in the retinal image; and an apparatus for alerting a user to an unreliability in at least one of the predicted locations. The apparatus receives the predicted first locations; uses the predicted locations to evaluate a distance metric indicative of a distance between the landmark features; use data indicative of a probability distribution of a distance between the landmark features obtained from measurements of the distance in retinal images different from the retinal image to determine an indication of whether the evaluated distance metric lies outside a predetermined interval about a peak the probability distribution; and generates an alert indicating the unreliability when the determined indication indicates that the evaluated distance metric lies outside the predetermined interval.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium, for assessing image quality of an image produced by a scanning imaging system. The method comprises acquiring (S10) image data of an image produced by the scanning imaging system and calculating (S20 to S40), for each section of the image: a respective first value measuring at least one of sharpness or contrast of at least a part of the section, the measuring depending on noise, a respective second value measuring noise in at least a part of the section, and a respective third value indicating image quality, by combining the first and second values. The combining is such that calculated third values have a weaker dependency on the noise than the first values. The method further comprises determining (S50) a quality score that is indicative of image quality of the image based on a variation of the calculated third values among the sections.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, an encryption key of a device may be split into multiple segments. One of the segments may be retained by an owner of the device, and some of the segments may be distributed to multiple entities. For example, one of the segments may be provided to a service provider, and one of the segments may be provided to an escrow agent. The escrow agent may process its segment, provide information based on its segment to a public ledger, and destroy its segment. A proxy agent may retrieve, from the public ledger, the information based on the segment provided to the escrow agent and obtain compensation. When the proxy agent obtains the compensation, the public ledger exhibits information utilizable to obtain the segment provided to the escrow agent. With the segments provided to the escrow agent and the service provider, the encryption key may be obtained.

Abstract: A solar photovoltaic (PV) water heating system includes a tank (1.020) including at least a first heating unit (1.016) having at least first and second heating elements (1.016.1 . . . 1.016.x), at least one of which is switchable (1.014.1A . . . 1.014.1m); a PV solar collector (1.002); an inverter (1.004) adapted to convert the output from the PV collector to an alternating power supply; a modulator (1.060) to modulate the alternating power supply from the inverter; a controller (1.040) adapted to control the modulator and the switching of the or each switchable heating element; wherein the controller is adapted to control the modulator and the switchable heating elements to maximize the energy drawn from the PC collector.

Abstract: The embodiments herein provide a secure computing resource set identification, evaluation, and management arrangement, employing in various embodiments some or all of the following highly reliable identity related means to establish, register, publish and securely employ user computing arrangement resources in satisfaction of user set target contextual purposes.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measurement of pore pressure in rock formations through an open, or cemented and/or cased, borehole are described. Such measurements are achieved using the Dynamic Acoustic Elasticity (DAE) method for characterizing nonlinear parameters by perturbing a selected rock formation volume with a High Amplitude, Low Frequency (HALF) acoustic strain wave, and probing this volume using a Low Amplitude, High Frequency (LAHF) acoustic wave. Time reversal techniques may be employed for focusing acoustic energy Into the formation in the vicinity of the pipe or open hole.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating electricity from a bidirectional water flow, such as tidal flow, includes a base structure, a primary flow pipe defining a first flow passage through the base structure, and a secondary flow pipe defining a second flow passage through the base structure. The primary flow pipe includes a convergent section a mixing chamber, the convergent section connected to a first end of the mixing chamber to define a venturi therebetween, and a diffuser section connected to a second end of the mixing chamber. The apparatus further includes an opening in the secondary flow pipe to provide fluidic communication between the second flow passage and the mixing chamber, a turbine connectable to a generator and arranged to be rotated by water flow from the second flow passage, and a control mechanism for directing the water flow from the second flow passage through the opening into the mixing chamber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for purposeful computing are disclosed that, among other things, include a user purpose class resource information computing environment. Such environment supports resource purpose classes, and further supports resource identification information sets that characterize their respective subject matter resources. The computing environment can be used to identify and evaluate one or more purpose class subject matter resource members.