Abstract: The total chip area for a three-dimensional memory device can be reduced employing a design layout in which the word line decoder circuitry is formed underneath an array of memory stack structures. The interconnection between the word lines and the word line decoder circuitry can be provided by forming discrete word line contact via structures. The discrete word line contact via structures can be formed by employing multiple sets of etch masks with overlapping opening areas and employed to etch a different number of pairs of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, thereby obviating the need to form staircase regions having stepped surfaces. Sets of at least one conductive interconnection structure can be employed to provide vertical electrical connection to the word line decoder circuitry. Bit line drivers can also be formed underneath the array of memory stack structures to provide greater areal efficiency.

Abstract: An aperture fastener piece has an intermediate head and an aperture shaft, including aperture retention arms extending from a side of the intermediate head. A receiver includes an annular wall extending from a base, and a plurality of plate retention surfaces supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall. A coupling plate can be engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together. Each of the receiver and the coupling plate extends from different ones of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece. The coupling plate can extend from a second of the opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece.

Abstract: Extended release pyridostigmine dosage forms, suitable for maintaining stable plasma concentrations with reduced or minimized initial burst release/dose dumping of pyridostigmine, are provided. The dosage forms include matrix tablets, gastroretentive tablets, and pellets, the latter being suitable for dosing in capsules, tablets, and sachets, as well as for sprinkling on foodstuffs. The disclosure also provides methods for improving patient compliance by administering once-a-day extended release pyridostigmine bromide dosage forms that provide a superior controlled drug release.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are formulations of fluoroquinolones suitable for aerosolization and use of such formulations for aerosol administration of fluoroquinolone antimicrobials for the treatment of pulmonary bacterial infections. In particular, inhaled levofloxacin specifically formulated and delivered for bacterial infections of the lungs is described. Methods include inhalation protocols and manufacturing procedures for production and use of the compositions described.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for managing audio chat for an online video game or application. For example, a system according to one embodiment comprises: an online video game or application execution engine to execute an online video game or application in response to input from one or more users of the video game or application and to responsively generate audio and video of the video game or application; and a chat subsystem to establish audio chat sessions with the one or more users and one or more spectators to the video game or application, the chat subsystem establishing a plurality of audio chat channels including a spectator channel over which the spectators participate in audio chat and a user channel over which the users participate in audio chat.

Abstract: Intelligent building control systems utilize sky information from a camera or cameras to facilitate control of building systems such as lighting, motorized window coverings, electrochromic glazings, HVAC systems, and so forth. Based on the sky information, interior lighting intensity and/or color temperature may be modified, for example in order to achieve a desired circadian effect for building occupants. In this manner, energy efficiency and occupant comfort and convenience are improved.

Abstract: A method for a vehicle control procedure, wherein in the case of this vehicle control procedure a closed loop control of the vehicle velocity is performed on the basis of a predetermined desired value, may comprise the following steps: determining on the basis of at least one predetermined criterion whether in the case of the closed loop control the vehicle velocity leaves a value range that is defined by at least one velocity threshold value while taking into consideration a tolerance range that defines predetermined, permitted deviations from this value range; and implementing a corresponding measure while modifying the vehicle control procedure in dependence upon the result of this determination procedure, wherein the determination procedure is performed on the basis of a signal analysis of at least one measurement signal that describes the movement status of the vehicle.

Abstract: A device includes a substrate, a first vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array on the substrate, a second VCSEL array on the substrate and adjacent to the first VCSEL array, and an isolation structure between the first VCSEL array and the second VCSEL array. The isolation structure provides electrical isolation between the first VCSEL array and the second VCSEL array.

Abstract: Systems and processes may provide for commerce at a fuel dispenser. In one general aspect, a system and process at a fuel dispenser may have the ability to present a user interface including data regarding at least one merchant remote from the fuel dispenser's fueling facility and to determine if ordering data corresponding to the remote merchant has been received. If ordering data corresponding to the remote merchant has been received, the system and process may have the ability to present a user interface regarding payment data. The system and process may also have the ability to determine if payment data has been received and, if payment data has been received, generate a message regarding the ordering data for a remote merchant computer.

Abstract: An alert configuration system facilitates accurate and reliable configuration of alerts for data protection policy in a data protection system, including eliminating or reducing manual configuration of data protection policy. The system identifies risks through trend analysis and behavioral statistics as applied to historical data, and automatically configures alerts for the identified risks so that alerts are generated upon detection of the identified risks. After detecting differences between tracked values for a data protection system and predicted values obtained through trend analysis and behavioral statistics as applied to the historical data, the alert configuration system automatically adjusts the configuration of alerts for data protection policy in accordance with the predicted values.

Abstract: A coating having a mismatched coefficient of thermal expansion is applied to an underlying light emitting diode (LED) or laser diode (LD), such that as the temperature of the device changes, a varying level of strain is introduced to the underlying LED or LD. Because strain can also adjust the effective bandgap energy (and hence emission wavelength) of the device, the external strain-inducing coating can act to either compensate for the wavelength shift due to temperature (resulting in reduced d?/dT) or accentuate it (resulting in increased d?/dT). By proper selection of coating material and geometry, full control over d?/dT can be achieved.

Abstract: Provided is a method of making a collection of polymer beads comprising (a1) forming a first collection of monomer droplets in an aqueous medium in a container, wherein the first collection of monomer droplets has volume-average diameter DAV1 and has uniformity coefficient less than 1.3; (a2) forming a second collection of monomer droplets in the aqueous medium in the container, wherein the second collection of monomer droplets has volume-average diameter DAV2 and has uniformity coefficient less than 1.3, wherein DAV1 and DAV2 differ by 10 ?m or more; wherein either step (a1) and step (a2) are performed simultaneously; or step (a2) is performed after step (a1), while the first collection of monomer droplets remains in the container; or a combination thereof; and (b) after steps (a1) and (a2), polymerizing the monomer droplets by suspension polymerization to form the polymer beads.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a firearm. The firearm may include safety features having a trigger block preventing trigger actuation when a lever in the firearm is in a partially cocked position and/or a safety mechanism positioned in front of the trigger.

Abstract: An artificial intelligence (“AI”) based system is disclosed for associating low-level user content, such as documents, email messages, and calendar invites, with high-level user activities using topics as an abstraction. The associations can enable a computing system to provide, among other things, activity-specific views that present a specific selection of low-level user content that is most relevant to a user at a particular point in time. The activity-specific views present the right information to users at the right time based on a context of a user and a user's past activities.

Abstract: An electroactive material for use in an electrochemical cell, like a lithium ion battery, is provided. The electroactive material comprises silicon or tin and undergoes substantial expansion during operation of a lithium ion battery. A polymeric ultrathin conformal coating is formed over a surface of the electroactive material. The coating is flexible and is capable of reversibly elongating by at least 250% from a contracted state to an expanded state in at least one direction to minimize or prevent fracturing of the negative electrode material during lithium ion cycling. The coating may be applied by vapor precursors reacting in atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form conformal ultrathin layers over the electroactive materials. Methods for making such materials and using such materials in electrochemical cells are likewise provided.

Abstract: A device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine may be configured to function as relay device, relaying an input data stream from a source device to at least one other device. The relaying may include configuring one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers to particular mode of relay operation and receiving the input data stream from the source device via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers. The relaying may also include transmitting at least one relay data stream corresponding to the input data stream to the at least one other device, via at least one of the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers.

Abstract: Power management techniques in distributed communication systems in which the power available at a remote unit (RU) is measured and compared to the power requirements of the RU. Voltage and current are measured for two dummy loads at the RU and these values are used to solve for the output voltage of the power supply and the resistance of the wires. From these values, a maximum power available may be calculated and compared to power requirements of the RU.

Abstract: A laundry stain and soil pretreatment sheet including a water soluble or water dispersible carrier layer, preferably polyvinyl alcohol, a removable separator layer, and a layer of cleaning agent composition therebetween. The separator layer is removed, the composition layer is adhered to a stain on clothing, and the clothing is laundered. The carrier layer dissolves or disperses during the laundering. The separator layer can be water soluble or water dispersible. Depressions can be provided in the carrier layer to hold the layer of cleaning agent composition. Without the separator layer, a sheet of the carrier layer can be folded over to hold the cleaning agent composition.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to using a vehicle to provide building security. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer that is provided in a vehicle is communicatively coupled to various sensors included in an anti-theft security system of the vehicle. The computer automatically activates a building security procedure upon determining that the vehicle has entered, or is located inside, a geofence of a residence. The sensors are configured to detect a security event that may take place near the residence. For example, a motion sensor may be used to detect a burglar approaching the residence or a sound detector may be used to detect shattering of a glass window of the residence. Upon detecting such a security event, the anti-theft security system of the vehicle may transmit a security alert to an individual and/or a monitoring service.

Abstract: The present discloaure relates to a transmission apparatus, a transmission method, a reception apparatus, and a reception method which make it possible to control redundancy of a header in packet communication. A region representing a packet length in a header of a packet is set according to a size of a payload of an input packet. A header of a baseband packet includes a minimum fixed length header including type identification information for identification of a type of the input packet or the stream and information of a packet length of the input packet or the stream stored in a payload of the baseband flame packet.