Abstract: A jig device includes an upper end configured to support an object, and a lower end comprising a hole for insertion and coupling of the upper end in an upper portion and an air inlet and an opening and closing portion configured to open and close the air inlet, in a lower portion. A position of the upper end is configured to be fixed at a point in time at which the air inlet is closed due to air pressure that occurs inside the lower end in response to closing the air inlet.

Abstract: A polymeric valve which may include a heart valve, and also may include a trileaflet heart valve includes a stent having a base and a plurality of outwardly extending posts from the base and equidistant from each other. A plurality of leaflets each connected to a corresponding one of the posts at one end, and each of the leaflets connected to the base. Each of the leaflets having an operative end opposite the end connected to the post, and the operative ends of the leaflets being biased in a closed position such that the operative ends abut each other. The operative ends are configured to rhythmically open and close in relation to each other, and the leaflets include multiple cross sectional thicknesses at different portions of the leaflets.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a negative voltage generating circuit having an automatic voltage adjustment function, including a negative voltage generating circuit and a feedback control module. The negative voltage generated by the negative voltage generating circuit is adjusted by the feedback control module. The negative voltage generating circuit having the automatic voltage adjustment function of the present disclosure can automatically adjust the charge current of the charge pump according to the load current, thereby realizing the stability of the output voltage, such that the traditional analog circuit structure can work normally under the extremely low power supply voltage, and is particularly suitable for the deep submicron process. The present disclosure also realizes the digital adjustment of the output voltage, the negative voltage output is no longer single, and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for integrally encoding and decoding a speech signal and a audio signal. The encoding apparatus may include: an input signal analyzer to analyze a characteristic of an input signal; a first conversion encoder to convert the input signal to a frequency domain signal, and to encode the input signal when the input signal is a audio characteristic signal; a Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) encoder to perform LPC encoding of the input signal when the input signal is a speech characteristic signal; and a bitstream generator to generate a bitstream using an output.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a grease composition with improved water resistance and mechanical stability at high-temperatures, including: at least one base oil; a water insoluble thickener; and a low molecular weight thixotropic polyamide composition having molecular weight distribution characteristics meeting the requirement described by the relationship: ( A + D ) ( B + C ) ? 0.05 where A=the % mass of the polyamide composition with a molecular weight greater than 1700 AMU; B=the % mass of the polyamide composition with a molecular weight between 1100 AMU and 1300 AMU; C=the % mass of the polyamide composition with a molecular weight between 700 AMU and 1000 AMU; and D=the % mass of the polyamide composition with a molecular weight of 600 AMU or lower (determined by GPC). The grease composition of the present disclosure provides a less than 50 penetration point change as determined by ASTM-D7342, a less than 10 mg weight loss as determined by ASTM-D4170, or both.

Abstract: The present invention provides, in certain aspects, a natural killer (NK) cell that expresses all or a functional portion of interleukin-15 (IL-15), and methods for producing such cells. The invention further provides methods of using a natural killer (NK) cell that expresses all or a functional portion of interleukin-15 (IL-15) to treat cancer in a subject or to enhance expansion and/or survival of NK cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: a polymer composition for preparing a hydrophilic separation membrane, containing sulfonated inorganic particles, preferably, sulfonated titanium dioxide; and a hydrophilic separation membrane prepared therefrom. The hydrophilic separation membrane of the present invention has advantages of having excellent water flux and an excellent antifouling property.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided herein for measuring 3D apparatus (e.g., manual tool or tool accessory) orientation. Example implementations use an auto-nulling algorithm that incorporates a quaternion-based unscented Kalman filter. Example implementations use a miniature inertial measurement unit endowed with a tri-axis gyro and a tri-axis accelerometer. The auto-nulling algorithm serves as an in-line calibration procedure to compensate for the gyro drift, which has been verified to significantly improve the estimation accuracy in three-dimensions, especially in the heading estimation.

Abstract: A method and system for enhancing a speech signal is provided herein. The method may include the following steps: obtaining an original video, wherein the original video includes a sequence of original input images showing a face of at least one human speaker, and an original soundtrack synchronized with said sequence of images; and processing, using a computer processor, the original video, to yield an enhanced speech signal of said at least one human speaker, by detecting sounds that are acoustically unrelated to the speech of the at least one human speaker, based on visual data derived from the sequence of original input images.

Abstract: A quantum direct communication with user authentication and an apparatus using the same. The quantum direct communication method includes performing verification of security of a quantum channel using a preset channel verification probability and a quantum state source generated by a receiver of quantum direct communication, performing user authentication using one or more of a preset user authentication probability, the quantum state source, and an authentication key shared between the receiver and a sender, stopping quantum direct communication and resetting the quantum channel when the verification of security of the quantum channel fails, and stopping quantum direct communication when the user authentication fails.

Abstract: A clamping mechanism is provided to clamp a die set on a carrier of a machine. The clamping mechanism utilizes a first pushing block to push a locating shaft of the die set to allow a top surface of the locating shaft to contact a mounting surface of the carrier and utilizes a second pushing block to push the locating shaft to allow a first contacting surface of the locating shaft to contact a reference surface of a cage base such that the die set will not clamp on the carrier of the machine with shift or skew errors.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter and method are provided for converting a low voltage DC input to a higher voltage DC output. The DC-DC converter has an oscillator with a first relatively voltage sensitive and relatively low power transistor and a second relatively voltage insensitive and relatively high power transistor, the oscillator producing an AC signal from the low voltage DC input. The inclusion of the voltage sensitive transistor allows the oscillator to turn on at a relatively low voltage. The inclusion of the higher power transistor allows the oscillator to operate at a higher power once it turns on. The DC-DC converter can be used for converting energy harvested from low voltage sources.

Abstract: Provided are a preamble symbol generation method and receiving method, and a relevant frequency-domain symbol generation method and relevant device. The generated preamble symbol contains: a time-domain symbol with a first three-segment structure; or a time-domain symbol with a second three-segment structure; or a free combination of several time-domain symbols with the first three-segment structure and/or several time-domain symbols with the second three-segment structure arranged in any order.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing wind noise in an electronic hearing protector are provided. The electronic hearing protector includes a housing and a windscreen. The housing includes a cut-out portion having at least one acoustic inlet. The windscreen covers the cut-out portion and includes an outer surface. An acoustic path within the cut-out portion from an effective center of the acoustic inlet(s) to the windscreen is at least 100 degrees. A minimum distance from the effective center of the acoustic inlet(s) to the outer surface of the windscreen is at least 2.5 millimeters. In various embodiments, the electronic hearing protector may include a high-level limiter disposed in the housing. The high-level limiter selectively attenuates a frequency below a voice range more than a frequency in the voice range of a microphone input signal to provide a signal output with noise reduction at frequencies outside of the voice range.

Abstract: A method for transmitting downlink by a network node. The network node creates downlink data for a terminal which is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle state. The network node inserts the downlink data into a first paging message for transitioning the terminal to an RRC connected state, when a size of the downlink data is smaller than a reference value. In addition, the network node transmits the first paging message to the terminal through a base station.

Abstract: A vibration reduction (VR) human support has exactly two paths to ground in each degree of VR: one provided by respective displacement actuators (DAs) for active VR, the other by one or more elastomeric damping bodies (EDBs). These paths extend from a frame for carrying a support structure for a live human, to a grounding for fixing the VR system in a vibrating environment. Each EDB is composed of a material having a dynamic Young's Modulus of 0.1-2.5 MPa, and a resilience test rebound height less than 40, and is positioned between the grounding and frame to provide elastic restorative forces and damping in each of the respective directions. The use of EDBs simplifies construction, and allows for a more compact arrangement, without reducing VR efficiency.

Abstract: An efficiency-enhanced, three-terminal, bi-junction thermoelectric device driven by independently-adjustable parameters of temperature and voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and method for validating service control status. The apparatus for validating service control status includes a service control request unit for requesting control of a service from a computing system, a service control status checking period generation unit for generating a service control status checking period in order to check completion of the service control, and a service control status checking communication unit for performing service control status checking communication with the computing system based on the service control status checking period.

Abstract: Provided herein are low resistance metallization stack structures for logic and memory applications and related methods of fabrication. In some implementations, the methods involve providing a tungsten (W)-containing layer on a substrate; and depositing a molybdenum (Mo)-containing layer on the W-containing layer. In some implementations, the methods involve depositing a Mo-containing layer directly on a dielectric or titanium nitride (TiN) substrate without an intervening W-containing layer.

Abstract: The presently-disclosed subject matter includes isolated polypeptides that comprise a butyrylcholinestrase (BChE) polypeptide and a second polypeptide. The BChE polypeptide as well as the second polypeptide can be variants and/or fragments thereof. The presently-disclosed subject matter also includes a pharmaceutical composition that comprises the present isolated polypeptide and a suitable pharmaceutical carrier. Further still, methods are provided for treating cocaine-induced conditions, and comprise administering the isolated polypeptide and/or pharmaceutical compositions thereof to an individual.