Abstract: The invention relates to antimicrobial peptides, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the peptides and to uses thereof for in the treatment or prevention of microbial, bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic infection.

Abstract: A fidget tool phone case having a case body, a spinner assembly comprising a spinner housing, a spinner base, a bearing, a spinner arm, and a spinner hub, a click wheel assembly comprising a wheel housing, a wheel housing cover, a plurality of springs, and a plurality of wheels, a slider assembly comprises a slider housing, a slider housing cover, and a slider, and a button assembly comprising a plurality of button housings, a button housing cover, a plurality of button bases, and a plurality of buttons. The spinner arm spins freely relative the case body. The plurality of wheels rotates with resistance from the plurality of springs. The slider moves along a channel aperture of the slider housing. The plurality of buttons is depressible through the plurality of button housings. The fidget tool phone case thus provides a plurality of engagement options for a user.

Abstract: The application describes hair styling apparatus (1) for creating volume in a user's hair. The hair styling apparatus (1) comprises a heating member, a cooling member adjacent to the heating member, thermal insulation between the cooling member and the heating member and a tensioning member projecting from the heating member. The heating member comprises a heating contacting surface for heating hair in contact with the heating member. The cooling member has a cooling contacting surface for cooling hair in contact with the cooling member and the cooling member is cooled by an active cooling mechanism. The tensioning member tensions a user's hair against the heating contacting surface to improve heat transfer into a user's hair and applies stress to a user's hair as the hair contacts the cooling contacting surface adjacent the heating contacting surface whereby the hair is styled to create volume.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for making good use of recently obtained biometric data and for configuring propagule capsules for deployment via an unmanned vehicle so that each has an improved chance of survival.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ionic liquids for use in chemical applications and capable of serving the dual function of solvent and liquid support. The ionic liquid lends itself to a method of synthesizing oligomers selected from the group consisting of oligopeptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides, comprising contacting a first monomer unit with an ionic liquid at reaction conditions to provide an ionic liquid bound monomer unit; and contacting the ionic liquid bound monomer unit with at least one further monomer unit at reaction conditions to provide an ionic liquid bound oligomer comprising from 2 to 30 monomer units. The method lends itself to large scale manufacture of oligopeptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are implemented in authentication brokering systems where an authentication broker issues security tokens that represent its authentications of users. Client devices operated by the users store the security tokens and send them to resource providers. The resource providers authenticate and grant access to the users based on validation of the security tokens. Authentication related messages exchanged between the resource providers and the authentication broker are used to exchange authentication risk data that is obtained or derived by the resource providers and the authentication broker. The resource providers obtain authentication risk data directly from the authentication broker and indirectly, via the authentication broker, from each other. As security tokens are used or managed, authentication risk data is shared among the participants in the authentication brokering system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods that automatically identify instances where a site of a business merchant being analyzed for a test event is involved in another test event affecting a similar category of item that is being analyzed during a same time frame. The algorithm executed to automatically identify concurring events occurring at the same site calculates each event's date range, marks events as overlapping based on date range and primary category of items affected, and then determines concurring items in concurring events. The concurring events identified are accounted for in forecasting a lift over a baseline forecast in response to a promotion to estimate the effects of each promotion independently.

Abstract: The high-intensity specular reflection of light from a surface of an object may create distortions in images of the object, in locations determined based on a perspective of an optical sensor. Multiple images of the object taken from different perspectives may include multiple specular artifacts in different locations, and a composite image of the object that omits such artifacts may be generated based on the multiple images. In particular, pixels of each of the images corresponding to the locations of the specular artifacts and having optimal intensities may be identified. The composite image may be generated based on the pixels having optimal intensities, and by excluding the pixels corresponding to the specular artifacts.

Abstract: This document describes, among other things, systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for using information about how long various videos were presented at client devices to determine subsequent video recommendations and search results. In some implementations, a computing can include a modeling apparatus, a front-end server, a request manager, one or more video file storage devices, a video selector, or a combination of some or all of these. The video selector can select video content for a particular digitized video among a plurality of digitized videos to serve to a computing device responsive to a request. The selection can be based at least in part on how long the particular digitized video has been presented at client devices associated with users having characteristics that match one or more characteristics of the user that submitted the request for video content, as indicated by the modeling apparatus.

Abstract: A method for providing a metallic coat covering a surface is disclosed, which comprises: (i) applying an electrically conductive two component binder on said surface; (ii) electrostatic spraying a metal powder on the binder applied in step (i); wherein the metal powder comprises metal particles with an average diameter less than 80 micron.

Abstract: A sender uses a double-write protocol to pass data to a recipient using a dead drop network architecture. The sender sends, to a dead drop domain, a data payload to store at the dead drop domain, and receives payload access information corresponding to a payload dead drop where the payload data is stored. The sender sends, to the dead drop domain, one or more instances of metadata including the payload access information to store at the dead drop domain, and receives metadata access information corresponding to one or more metadata dead drops where the metadata is stored. The sender provides the metadata access information to one or more recipients. A recipient uses the metadata access information to read the corresponding metadata dead drop. The recipient then uses the payload access information from the metadata to read the payload dead drop and receive the payload data.

Abstract: A personal care device is provided with a cutting unit comprising an external cutting member and an internal cutting member. A virtual skin plane is located on a side of the external cutting member facing away from the internal cutting member. The internal cutting member comprises cutting elements each having a first cutting edge. The external cutting member comprises hair-entry apertures each having a second cutting edge. In a starting position of cutting a hair situated in a cutting position in the hair-entry aperture and extending perpendicularly to the virtual skin plane, the first cutting edge is in contact with the hair in a first contact position, and the second cutting edge is in contact with the hair in a second contact position, wherein the first contact position is closer to the virtual skin plane than the second contact position.

Abstract: A smart trailer system coupled to a trailer of a vehicle includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter of the trailer, a sensor interface board electrically coupled to the sensor and configured to retrieve the measured parameter, and a master controller communicatively coupled to the sensor interface board via a data bus.

Abstract: An actuator includes a circuit board having an electromagnetic interference (EMI) reduction circuit. The actuator includes a motor having a motor casing mounted on the circuit board. A portion of the motor casing contacts a surface of the circuit board. The actuator includes an electrical contact conductively coupled to the EMI reduction circuit and mounted on the surface of the circuit board. The electrical contact establishes a conductive path between the EMI reduction circuit and the motor casing when the motor casing is mounted on the circuit board.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; a method for manufacturing the compounds of the invention, and its therapeutic uses. The present invention further provides a combination of pharmacologically active agents and a pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides, e.g., oligoribonucleotides. In another aspect, the invention relates to compounds of formula (II) processes for making these compounds, and the use thereof in the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides, e.g., oligoribonucleotides. The invention also relates to methods of synthesis of oligomers, including but not limited to oligopeptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides, particularly oligoribonucleotides and also oligodeoxyribonucleotides, in solution systems, and ionic tag linkers for use in methods provided herein.

Abstract: A sender uses a double-write protocol to pass data to a recipient using a dead drop network architecture. The sender sends, to a dead drop domain, a data payload to store at the dead drop domain, and receives payload access information corresponding to a payload dead drop where the payload data is stored. The sender sends, to the dead drop domain, one or more instances of metadata including the payload access information to store at the dead drop domain, and receives metadata access information corresponding to one or more metadata dead drops where the metadata is stored. The sender provides the metadata access information to one or more recipients. A recipient uses the metadata access information to read the corresponding metadata dead drop. The recipient then uses the payload access information from the metadata to read the payload dead drop and receive the payload data.