Abstract: In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a semiconductor device assembly including: a direct-bonded-metal (DBM) substrate including: a ceramic layer; a first metal layer disposed on a first surface of the DBM substrate, the first metal layer having a uniform thickness; and a second metal layer disposed on a second surface of the DBM substrate opposite the first surface, the second metal layer including: a first portion having a first thickness; and a second portion having a second thickness, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness, the second portion of the second metal layer including a metal alloy having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) in a range of 7 to 11 parts-per-million per degrees Celsius (ppm/° C.); and a semiconductor die having a first surface coupled with the second portion of the second metal layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for quick start-up of playback in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Media content may be encoded in a plurality of alternative streams and a quick start-up stream. The quick start-up stream may include media content that is encoded at a lower quality that the alternative streams and may be encrypted with a different, less secure encryption process than that of the alternative streams. During a start-up of playback, the playback device streams the media content from a quick start-up stream until a metric, such as a decryption key for the alternative streams is met. The device then streams the media content from the alternative streams in response to the metric being met.

Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes a cartridge and an aerosol-generating device configured to receive the cartridge. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing and a cartridge aerosol-forming substrate within the cartridge housing. The cartridge housing has a first end, a second end, a first side between the first end and the second end, and at least one aperture on the first side. The aerosol-generating device includes a device housing, a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, an electric heater, a power supply, and a controller. The device housing defines a cavity, a cavity air inlet, and a cavity air outlet. The cavity is configured to receive the cartridge such that an airflow from the cavity air inlet to the cavity outlet flows through the cartridge via the at least one aperture during an operation of the aerosol-generating system.

Abstract: A modular luminaire assembly comprising includes a mounting ring configured to be selectively coupled with a mounting surface, an inner housing defining a channel configured to receive the mounting ring, wherein the mounting ring is configured to be selectively coupled with the inner housing, a lighting assembly, one or more diffusers configured to direct light from the lighting assembly; and a retaining ring including a ring body defining an opening a plurality of flanges configured to snap engage with the inner housing, wherein the ring body is configured to at least partially support the one or more diffusers and the lighting assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a light and disinfection system that includes a lighting system and a disinfection system. The lighting system includes an illumination source and a diffusion hood suitable for the illumination source. The disinfection system includes a disinfection light source and a cover adapted to transmit light from the disinfection light source. The diffusion hood and the cover are respectively used for the illumination source and the disinfection light source.

Abstract: Exemplary venues allow for members of an audience at different locations within these venues to simultaneously interact with an interactive content. The interactive content can convey one or more requisite actions to be performed by the members of the audience. However, the one or more requisite actions can reach members of the audience at different instances in time. These exemplary venues can effectively compensate for these different instances in time such that the accuracy and/or the synchronization of one or more response actions, which are performed by the members of the audience in response to the one or more requisite actions, can be characterized as no longer being dependent upon their distance from the interactive content. Rather, the accuracy and/or the synchronization of the one or more response actions by the members of the audience to the one or more requisite actions can be considered as being related to the performance, for example, timing, of the one or more response actions themselves.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing forming an enclosed chamber. The housing has a top portion and a bottom portion. One or more sensors is provided within the chamber and configured to interface with a user to generate physiological data associated with the user. A set of electrodes is provided on the bottom portion of the housing. Each electrode in the set of electrodes is a single member having a corresponding inner electrode portion within the chamber and an outer electrode portion outside the housing. A set of magnets is provided on the bottom portion of the housing.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides the identification of tobacco Nic1 locus. Also provided are tobacco plants with altered total alkaloid and nicotine levels and commercially acceptable leaf grade, their development via breeding or transgenic approaches, and production of tobacco products from these tobacco plants. Also provided are compositions and methods for producing tobacco plants having novel Nic1 mutations or alleles to reduce nicotine levels. Further provided are sequence polymorphisms and molecular markers for breeding tobacco with reduced nicotine or nicotine free while maintaining tobacco leaf grade and tobacco product quality.

Abstract: Compositions and/or methods for influencing, or more preferably tailoring, the taste preferences of unborn infant children, or breast feeding children. In other embodiments, compositions or methods for selectively cloaking the taste of certain flavor compounds and/or manufacturing methods or processes for producing edible (or drinkable) products which include selective and/or tailorable flavor cloaking capabilities or functions. In certain embodiments, methods or processes for producing edible or drinkable products for influencing (or tailoring) the taste preferences of unborn, in utero children, or breast feeding children.

Abstract: This application is directed to a battery having a heating element. A connector of the battery includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a heater terminal. One or more rechargeable battery cells are electrically coupled to the first and second terminals of the connector. The heating element is in contact with a subset of the battery cells, and includes a resistive heater path that is electrically coupled to the first and heater terminals of the connector and generates heat to warm the battery when a heater voltage is applied to the heater terminal. A waterproof material is wrapped around an exterior of the heating element and battery cells and prevents ambient water from contacting the heater element and battery cells. The waterproof material includes an opening to allow at least the first and second terminals of the connector to be electrically coupled to a logic board.

Abstract: The invention is a jump starting system for conducting a charging operation with various combinations of two automotive batteries in which one or both batteries is either a conventional battery, a battery with embossed electrical contact sockets, or a battery with internal electrical contact slots, where electrical connection between batteries is established by means of a battery jumper plug cable having four electrical jumper plugs electrically attached to respective ends of a positive insulated conductor and a negative insulated conductor.

Abstract: A system for storing and transporting compressed natural gas includes source and destination facilities and a vehicle, each of which includes pressure vessels. The pressure vessels and gas therein may be maintained in a cold state by a carbon-dioxide-based refrigeration unit. Hydraulic fluid (and/or nitrogen) ballast may be used to fill the pressure vessels as the pressure vessels are emptied so as to maintain the pressure vessels in a substantially isobaric state that reduces vessel fatigue and lengthens vessel life. The pressure vessels may be hybrid vessels with carbon fiber and fiber glass wrappings. Dip tubes may extend into the pressure vessels to selectively expel/inject gas from/into the top of the vessels or hydraulic fluid from/into the bottom of the vessels. Impingement deflectors are disposed adjacent to the dip tubes inside the vessels to discourage fluid-induced erosion of vessel walls.

Abstract: An eye drop dispenser having a dispensing body configured to be removably secured to a bottle holding a dispensing solution. The dispenser includes a dispensing tip in fluid communication with the bottle for dispensing solution that flows from the bottle out the dispensing tip. The dispenser includes a cheek rest arm that includes a curved portion configured to be positioned adjacent a cheekbone of a user and a cheek rest portion that is positioned along a length of a cheek of the user when the curved portion of the cheek rest arm is positioned adjacent the cheekbone of the user. When the dispensing body is secured to the bottle and the curved portion of the cheek rest arm is positioned adjacent the cheekbone of the user, the dispensing tip is positioned adjacent an eye of the user for dispensing solution into the eye by gravity.

Abstract: A method of removing fluid from breast tissue surrounding a tissue expander includes identifying a location of an injection port of a tissue expander, and obtaining a needle including a needle shaft defining a lumen, the needle including a closed tip at the distal end of the needle shaft and at least one lateral opening formed in an outer wall of the needle shaft that is in fluid communication with the lumen. The method includes inserting the closed tip of the needle through skin of the patient, the breast tissue, and the injection port until the closed tip of the needle contacts a needle guard, visually confirming that the at least one lateral opening of the needle is not located outside of the patient's skin, and aspirating fluid from the breast tissue via the at least one lateral opening of the needle.

Abstract: A mount assembly for use with a navigable tracker. The mount assembly includes a frame defining a seat, a coupler operatively attached to the frame for releasably securing to the navigable tracker, and a guide defining a bore and arranged in the seat for selective pivoting movement about a pivot point disposed within the bore. An anchor having a shank is arranged for selective sliding engagement with the bore. A guide lock is coupled to the frame and is selectively operable between: a locked configuration to restrict movement of both the anchor and the guide relative to the frame, and a released configuration to simultaneously permit pivoting movement of the anchor relative to the frame about the pivot point and translational movement of the anchor relative to the guide through the bore.

Abstract: Transportation-based service share systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method can include receiving a request from a service provider to reserve a ridehail vehicle for a ridehail having a time frame, the request specifying a service provided by the service provider; determining the ridehail vehicle for the service provider based on the service; and dispatching the ridehail vehicle, the service provider rendering the service during the ridehail.

Abstract: Video decoding innovations for multithreading implementations and graphics processor unit (“GPU”) implementations are described. For example, for multithreaded decoding, a decoder uses innovations in the areas of layered data structures, picture extent discovery, a picture command queue, and/or task scheduling for multithreading. Or, for a GPU implementation, a decoder uses innovations in the areas of inverse transforms, inverse quantization, fractional interpolation, intra prediction using waves, loop filtering using waves, memory usage and/or performance-adaptive loop filtering. Innovations are also described in the areas of error handling and recovery, determination of neighbor availability for operations such as context modeling and intra prediction, CABAC decoding, computation of collocated information for direct mode macroblocks in B slices, reduction of memory consumption, implementation of trick play modes, and picture dropping for quality adjustment.

Abstract: In some embodiments, text for user consumption may be generated based on an intended user action category and a user profile. In some embodiments, an action category, a plurality of text seeds, and a profile comprising feature values may be obtained. Context values may be generated based on the feature values, and text generation models may be obtained based on the text seeds. In some embodiments, messages may be generated using the text generation models based on the action category and the context values. Weights associated with the messages may be determined, and a first text message of the messages may be sent to an address associated with the profile based on the weights. Based on a reaction value obtained in response to the first message, a first expected allocation value may be updated based on the reaction value.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for ranking routes based on driving complexity. An example method may include receiving one or more inputs, the one or more inputs including at least a starting location, a destination location, and a user driving experience level. The example method may also include determining, based on the one or more inputs, a first difficultly value for a first route between the starting location and the destination location and a second difficulty value for a second route between the starting location and the destination location. The example method may also include determining that the first difficulty value is less than the second difficulty value. The example method may also include automatically updating, prior to a first vehicle trip, a navigation system to the first route based on the determination that the first difficulty value is less than the second difficulty value.

Abstract: The sill assembly for a motor vehicle includes a hollow support, a mechanical component, and holding elements. The hollow support extends along a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and defines a cavity. The mechanical component is disposed within the cavity of the hollow support. The mechanical component includes at least one reinforcing structure extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and including a strip-shaped profile having a width that extends transverse within the cavity. The holding elements are disposed within the cavity of the hollow support and secured to the mechanical component to position the mechanical component within the cavity. Each holding element has at least one form-fitting element having a shape corresponding to a form-fitting element of the hollow support to reduce the potential for rotational movement of the mechanical component relative to the hollow support. The holding elements are detached from the hollow support.