Abstract: A method for preparing ammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate salt comprising reacting a secondary amine with an aldehyde to form an iminium ion; hydrogenating the iminium ion by reaction with a reducing agent to form a tertiary amine; reacting the tertiary amine with a mineral acid to form an amine salt; and reacting the amine salt with K[B(C6F5)4], Li[B(C6F5)4], or combinations thereof to form an ammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate salt, wherein the secondary amine is derived from a non-animal source and the aldehyde has seven or more carbon atoms; wherein the ammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate salt is characterized by a solubility at 25° C. in hexane, cyclohexane or methylcyclohexane of at least 10 weight percent; and wherein the tertiary amine has a molecular weight of at least 450 g/mole is provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for incorporating user content within a communication session interface. In one implementation, a processing device receives, in relation to a communication session between a first user and a second user, a communication input associated with a first user. The processing device processes the communication input to identify one or more content items stored on a content sharing platform that are associated with the first user and that pertain to one or more aspects of the communication input. The processing device modifies one or more aspects of an interface of the communication session based on the one or more content items.

Abstract: A process for making mesophase and/or isotropic pitch. An aromatic rich liquid is charged at high temperature and pressure to a first thermal polymerization reactor to produce an isotropic pitch rich liquid which is flashed. Residual liquid is charged to a second thermal reactor to produce mesophase pitch. The reactors can be either tubular reactors or CSTRs.

Abstract: A software update is downloaded from an update server responsive to an update trigger. A pre-installation bus traffic fingerprint is created responsive to completing the download. The software update is installed to the vehicle responsive to creating the pre-installation bus traffic fingerprint. A post-installation bus traffic fingerprint is created responsive to installing the software update. Success of the install is indicated to the update server based on comparing the pre-installation and post-installation bus traffic fingerprints.

Abstract: A combined altitude display apparatus for generating a combined altitude value is provided. The apparatus comprises a first altitude input interface, wherein the first altitude input interface receives a first altitude value; a second altitude input interface, wherein the second altitude input interface receives a second altitude value, wherein the second altitude value indicated by the second altitude input interface has a cyclical range; an altitude output interface, wherein the altitude output interface outputs a third altitude value; and a data fusion component coupled to the first altitude input interface and the second altitude input interface and configured to calculate the third altitude value based on the first altitude value and the second altitude value.

Abstract: The present invention provides RNA-guided endonucleases, which are engineered for expression in eukaryotic cells or embryos, and methods of using the RNA-guided endonuclease for targeted genome modification in eukaryotic cells or embryos. Also provided are fusion proteins, wherein each fusion protein comprises a CRISPR/Cas-like protein or fragment thereof and an effector domain. The effector domain can be a cleavage domain, an epigenetic modification domain, a transcriptional activation domain, or a transcriptional repressor domain. Also provided are methods for using the fusion proteins to modify a chromosomal sequence or regulate expression of a chromosomal sequence.

Abstract: Methods and systems that reduce off-track write retry operations in shingled magnetic recording systems. In one implementation, the method includes writing data to an initial track, determining which side of the initial track is a shingled side, calculating a percentage of position error signal (PES) at a shingled side end of the initial track (PES1) when an off-track write operation occurs, determining whether the PES1 meets a first pre-determined threshold, continue writing data to a second track responsive to determining the PES1 is below a first pre-determined threshold, calculating a percentage of PES at a shingled side end of the second track (PES2), determining whether a combined value of PES1 and PES2 is above a second predetermined threshold to determine a probability value of the initial track being erased, and continue writing to a third track if the combined value is below the second predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An athletic glove having an inner glove with one or more protective members is discussed. Protective members may include metacarpal support members attached to the dorsal side of the inner glove configured to protect at least a portion of a metacarpal bone of the human hand; volar and dorsal metacarpal support member attached to the volar and dorsal sides of the inner glove, respectively, and configured to protect at least a portion of a carpometacarpal joint, a metacarpal bone, a metacarpal joint, and a proximal phalanx of a thumb of the human hand; and volar and dorsal distal phalange support members attached to the volar and dorsal sides, respectively, of the inner glove and configured to protect at least a portion of a distal phalanx of the thumb of the human hand. Optionally, the inner glove may include a protective strap.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining a dilution of recirculated gases, including blowthrough air, combusted exhaust gas, and fuel vapor, in a split exhaust engine. In one example, the dilution rate may be calculated using a feedforward model that includes determining a pressure differential across a region in an intake passage, mapped engine parameters such as gas temperature, and exhaust valve timing. Engine operations such as spark advance and fuel injection may be adjusted according to the modeled rate to reduce engine knock and improve combustion efficiency.

Abstract: This group of inventions relates to a field of applied electric chemistry, namely, devices based on modified electrochromic compounds and method of their manufacturing, more specifically, to electrochromic devices comprising electrodes, at least one of which is optically transparent, said electrodes forming an enclosed space filled with a solution which includes an aprotic inert solvent, or their mixtures, an acrylic and/or methacrylic unsaturated oligomer-monomer composition, a cathodic material comprising pyridine, an anodic material, a photo initiator, an adhesive and indifferent electrolytes. According to the invention, the electrochromic solution also comprises an optical brightener selected from the range of aromatic or heterocyclic series and/or their mixtures, an antioxidant selected from the range of sterically hindered phenols and/or their mixtures. The achieved technical result is increased service life of the electrochromic device.

Abstract: A plastic scintillator includes an anti-fog additive or comonomer. The plastic scintillator is formulated to resist the development of hydrothermally-induced aging defects (e.g. discoloration and “fogging”) while maintaining scintillation light output and other desirable physical properties.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a vehicle monitoring for trigger events each corresponding to a defined vehicle activity. Responsive to identifying an occurrence of one of the trigger events, the vehicle captures, via a vehicle camera, video showing an area outside the vehicle for a set capture time. Responsive to the vehicle identifying that the vehicle is rendered inoperative from the identified trigger event, the vehicle transmits the captured video to a remote server.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for fundus drawing analysis in ophthalmological diagnostics. A fundus drawing analysis for ophthalmological diagnostics method includes first specifying a set of ophthalmological pathological features of an eye and then generating a database query with the specified set. Thereafter, the database query may be submitted to a database of ophthalmological meta-data regarding different fundus images generated for different eyes so as to retrieve a sub-set of the ophthalmological meta-data. Then, those of the different fundus images that correspond to the sub-set are identified and the identified different fundus images are retrieved. Finally, the retrieved fundus images are displayed in a user interface of a medical image processing host computing system along with a statistical indication of a number of each of the ophthalmological pathological features present in the retrieved fundus images.

Abstract: Techniques are presented for maintaining data distributed across a plurality of storage drives (drives) in a robust manner. A method includes (a) collecting physical state information from each drive of the plurality of drives, (b) generating a predicted failure probability of each drive based on the collected physical state information from that drive, the predicted failure probability indicating a likelihood that that drive will fail within a predetermined period of time, and (c) rearranging a distribution of data across the plurality of drives to minimize a probability of DU/DL. Systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for performing similar methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method is provided for encoding a digital video to improve perceptual quality. The method includes receiving a digital video at a video encoder, providing a perceptual quantizer function defined by PQ ? ( L ) = ( c 1 + c 2 ? L m 1 1 + c 3 ? L m 1 ) m 2 , wherein L is a luminance value, c1, c2, c3, and m1 are parameters with fixed values, and m2 is a parameter with a variable value, adapting the perceptual quantizer function by adjusting the value of the m2 parameter based on different luminance value ranges found within a coding level of the digital video, encoding the digital video into a bitstream using, in part, the perceptual quantizer function, transmitting the bitstream to a decoder, and transmitting the value of the m2 parameter to the decoder for each luminance value range in the coding level.

Abstract: A hard disk drive comprises a sensor configured to detect a mixing ratio within the hard disk drive and a membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly comprises a gas flow path that couples an inside of the hard disk drive to an outside of the hard disk drive, and the gas flow path includes a cathode and anode that electrolytically remove water vapor from the inside of the hard disk drive. The drive further includes an energy source coupled to the membrane electrode assembly and a controller coupled to the sensor and the energy source. The controller is configured to activate the energy source in response to the sensor detecting a mixing ratio greater than a threshold mixing ratio and to deactivate the energy source in response to the sensor detecting a mixing ratio less than the threshold mixing ratio.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.