Abstract: The dynamic estimation of the cost functions involved in agriculture to determine which crops will result in the best return on investment given local conditions. A user interface allows a user to define a predetermined geographic area for analysis. A processor retrieves historical data encompassing the predetermined geographic area from a database and crop yield factor information from aerial images of the area and uses that information to calculate a minimized cost function for any particular crop to be grown in the area. A user may also select sub-areas for further analysis, for intercropping, and to assess the cost functions for multiple crops.

Abstract: A method for agent-based transaction analysis which includes: building an instrumented binary code of a software application for a transaction; configuring an analysis agent for the software application; starting the software application in an application process environment with the instrumented binary code; attaching the analysis agent to the instrumented binary code of the software application; extracting by the analysis agent the metadata from the software application; sending the metadata to a central analysis server in an environment separate from the application process environment; and building by the central analysis server an end-to-end description of the transaction from the metadata.

Abstract: A method and system for improving authentication is provided. The method includes continuously receiving in real time from video retrieval devices, visual data associated with a surface of a structure associated with receiving authentication attributes for user access to hardware or software. User interactions with the surface of the structure are continuously tracked in real time via the visual data and it is determined that a first user interaction includes an authentication interaction for authorizing the user to access the hardware or software. In response, a visual image of the first user interaction is compared to a previous user authentication interaction with the surface of the structure and an action associated with the access to the hardware or software is executed.

Abstract: A method and system for improving authentication is provided. The method includes continuously receiving in real time from video retrieval devices, visual data associated with a surface of a structure associated with receiving authentication attributes for user access to hardware or software. User interactions with the surface of the structure are continuously tracked in real time via the visual data and it is determined that a first user interaction includes an authentication interaction for authorizing the user to access the hardware or software. In response, a visual image of the first user interaction is compared to a previous user authentication interaction with the surface of the structure and an action associated with the access to the hardware or software is executed.

Abstract: A process selects a public key from a plurality of public keys provided by a message recipient that is to receive an encrypted message. The process establishes an input alphabet for a finite-state machine. The process further constructs the finite-state machine and a language over the input alphabet such that the finite-state machine accepts the language, where the language includes language elements. The process encrypts a language element of the language using the selected public key to provide an encrypted language element. The process electronically transmits the encrypted language element and a specification of the finite-state machine to the message recipient for securely identifying the selected public key to the message recipient. The process encrypts a message using the selected public key to provide the encrypted message. The process also electronically transmits the encrypted message to the message recipient.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for authenticating a composite fingerprint includes executing on a computer processor the step of receiving the composite fingerprint, wherein the composite fingerprint is a thermal image of a reference finger with a thermal impression of another finger from a thermal scanner. The composite fingerprint is authenticated according to a known fingerprint of the reference finger and a known fingerprint of the other finger. A result of the authentication is returned.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product inserts a new e-mail into an interior of an original e-mail thread. An e-mail server receives a request to send a new e-mail to a new recipient. The new e-mail is relevant to an interior e-mail in an original e-mail thread. The original e-mail thread is an existing e-mail thread that has an unbranched single thread status, and includes an initial e-mail and a latest e-mail that are addressed to prior recipients. The interior e-mail is chronologically between the initial e-mail and the latest e-mail in the original e-mail thread. The e-mail server retrieves the original e-mail thread and inserts the new e-mail into the original e-mail thread next to the interior e-mail to create an updated e-mail thread, such that the updated e-mail thread retains the unbranched single thread status of the original e-mail thread.

Abstract: Aspects dynamically switch between different cellular service providers that use different ones of cellular signal encoding standards during a cellular call. A cellular phone call established from an end user device to another user on a first cellular service provider. In response to determining that the performance attributes of the first cellular service provider fail to meet the boundary values, while maintaining the established cellular phone call from the end user device to the other user without dropping the established call, or a connection of the end user to the established call, the call is automatically switched to a different (second) cellular service provider that has performance attributes meeting the boundary values and using a different cellular signal encoding standard relative to the first cellular service provider.

Abstract: In an approach to action assignment and tracking, a computer receives a first email from a first computing device, where the first email includes at least one action assigned by a sender of the first email to at least one recipient of the first email. The computer determines whether the sender specified a due date for the action. The computer determines whether the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the action. In response to determining the sender specified at least one of a due date for the action and one or more time intervals for a status update of the action, the computer initiates a timer. In response to determining the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the action, the computer provides a status of the action to the sender at the one or more time intervals.

Abstract: One or more processors receive hyperspectral band input, biometric input, and cognitive input as response input, from a user sampling a plurality of base foods, each base food prepared with a subset of ingredients and preparation techniques. The response input is transformed to a numeric representation of the respective input. Deep learning techniques are used to train an algorithm using the response data. A probabilistic ranking of base food is generated using unsupervised learning. Probability values of base food, ingredients, and preparation technique, associations preferred by the user, are generated, along with rules which define constraints associated with conditions for base food, ingredient, and preparation techniques, of user preferences. An objective function is generated that includes decision variables respectively aligned with constraints, and in response to optimizing the objective function, a preferred base food and ingredients, with preferred conditions of the user, is determined.

Abstract: In an approach to magnetic flux density based DNA sequencing, a static magnetic field is provided. A chain of nucleotides is passed through the magnetic field. A change in magnetic flux density of the static magnetic field due to an ionic voltage associated with an individual nucleotide or base pair of the chain of nucleotides is measured. An identity of the nucleotide is determined based on the change in magnetic flux density.

Abstract: A method and associated systems for using machine-learning methods to perform linear regression on a DNA-computing platform. One or more processors generate and initialize beta coefficients of a system of linear equations. These initial values are encoded into nucleobase chains that are then padded to a standard length. The chains are allowed to bind with complementary template chains in a DNA-computing reaction, and the resulting DNA molecules are decoded to reveal the relative the relative likelihood of each chain to bind. The initial values of the beta coefficients are weighted proportionally to these likelihoods, and the process is repeated iteratively until the beta coefficients converge to optimal values.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product inserts a new e-mail into an interior of an original e-mail thread. An e-mail server receives a request to send a new e-mail to a new recipient. The new e-mail is relevant to an interior e-mail in an original e-mail thread. The original e-mail thread is an existing e-mail thread that has an unbranched single thread status, and includes an initial e-mail and a latest e-mail that are addressed to prior recipients. The interior e-mail is chronologically between the initial e-mail and the latest e-mail in the original e-mail thread. The e-mail server retrieves the original e-mail thread and inserts the new e-mail into the original e-mail thread next to the interior e-mail to create an updated e-mail thread, such that the updated e-mail thread retains the unbranched single thread status of the original e-mail thread.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing telephone call purpose codes, which are codes included in the data of an attempted telephone call, which purpose code provide information relating to the telephone call's purpose. Also, techniques for handling telephone calls in a machine logic rule based manner in ways that depend, at least in part, upon the purpose code of the attempted telephone call.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing telephone call purpose codes, which are codes included in the data of an attempted telephone call, which purpose code provide information relating to the telephone call's purpose. Also, techniques for handling telephone calls in a machine logic rule based manner in ways that depend, at least in part, upon the purpose code of the attempted telephone call.

Abstract: In an approach to action assignment and tracking, a computer receives a first email from a first computing device, where the first email includes at least one action assigned by a sender of the first email to at least one recipient of the first email. The computer determines whether the sender specified a due date for the action. The computer determines whether the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the action. In response to determining the sender specified at least one of a due date for the action and one or more time intervals for a status update of the action, the computer initiates a timer. In response to determining the sender specified one or more time intervals for a status update of the action, the computer provides a status of the action to the sender at the one or more time intervals.