Abstract: Improved hand assemblies and methods combining a number of the separate known devices used in transseptal catheterization procedures, including sheaths, dilators, and needle assemblies (including a puncture device and a stylet, for example). The hand assemblies provide cooperating members that reduce the overall complexity and increase safety of transseptal catheterization procedures.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for detecting errors in a physical interface during the transmission and/or receipt of data communications between integrated circuits (“ICs”) are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus is configured to operate as or within a receiving physical interface. The apparatus includes a decoder configured to decode a subset of encoded data bits to yield decoded data bits. It also includes a physical interface (“PI”) error detection bit extractor configured to extract a physical interface error detection bit from the decoded data bits. As such, the apparatus uses the physical interface error detection bit to determine whether the encoded data bits include at least one erroneous data bit as an error. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an error detector configured to operate within a physical layer. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus efficiently transmits error detection codes within, for example, an NB/(N+1)B line coder.

Abstract: Described herein are protease inhibitors, variants thereof and methods for their production.

Abstract: Disclosed are communication apparatus, a SATA communication device, a system, an enhanced port multiplier and a method for, among other things, establishing a covert communication channel in a protocol-compliant link. In one embodiment, a communication apparatus includes a link interface and a supplemental message interface. The link interface is configured to communicatively couple the communication apparatus to the link for accessing a data stream passing through the link in accordance with a standardized protocol. The supplemental message interface is configured to exchange a supplemental message within the data stream to establish a covert communication channel in the link. The supplemental message supplements the standardized protocol without violating the protocol.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel rapidly growing microorganisms and methods for their use in cloning or subcloning nucleic acid molecules. The rapid growing microorganisms of the present invention form colonies more rapidly than microorganisms typically used in molecular biology and thus provide a significant improvement in in vitro cloning methods used extensively in molecular biology. The invention also relates to kits and compositions used in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: A flat capacitor includes a case having a feedthrough hole, a capacitor stack located within the case, a coupling member having a base surface directly attached to the capacitor stack and having a portion extending through the feedthrough hole, the coupling member having a mounting hole, a feedthrough conductor having a portion mounted within the mounting hole, and a sealing member adjacent the feedthrough hole and the feedthrough conductor for sealing the feedthrough hole. Other aspects of the invention include various implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, and cardioverters, incorporating one or more features of the exemplary feedthrough assembly.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present subject matter includes an apparatus which includes a capacitor stack, including at least one substantially planar capacitor electrode, a case having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening sized for passage of the capacitor stack, the second opening defined by walls having a first thickness, a cover substantially conforming to the first opening and sealingly connected to the first opening and a plate substantially conforming to the second opening, the plate sealingly connected to the second opening, the plate having a second thickness which is approximately greater than the first thickness of the walls defining the second opening, wherein the capacitor stack is disposed in the case.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present subject matter includes a battery having a stack of substantially planar battery electrodes, the stack including a first electrode including a first tab, and a second electrode including a second tab, with the first tab electrically connected to the second tab. The embodiment includes a first separator layer and a second separator layer sandwiching the first electrode, with the edges of the first separator layer and the second separator connected with a weld, the first separator layer and the second separator layer defining an interior space in which the first electrode is disposed, with the first tab extending outside the interior space. The embodiment includes an battery housing having electrolyte disposed therein, the housing including at least a first aperture and a feedthrough aperture; a lid conformed and sealed to the first aperture; and a feedthrough conformed and sealed to the feedthrough aperture.

Abstract: A user of a game system can replace background music from a game with the user's selected background music, while still hearing any other audio streams (e.g. sound effects related to gameplay). A music engine and system audio mixer allow the playback of the user's requested replacement music. The game tags background music streams with an identifier indicating that they are background music, and such streams are muted at the music engine and system audio mixer (if the game is using the provided music engine in order to play the game's audio streams) or by the game if the game is using a game music engine and has received information indicating that a mute request has been issued.

Abstract: A method and system for providing advanced storage features using commodity, consumer-level storage devices is provided. The advanced storage system is a component that is connected between the computer system and one or more physical disk drives. The host interface of the advanced storage system presents itself to the computer system as a virtual disk drive that implements the commands of consumer-level storage hardware that are familiar to the host controller of the computer system. Similarly, the storage device interface of the advanced storage system presents itself to one or more disk drives as a consumer-level host controller, regardless of the actual topology of the physical storage devices that are connected. This system provides a simple way for a user to combine low-cost, consumer-level hardware to add advanced storage features to a computer system.

Abstract: An audio buffer includes one or more audio effect resources that modify audio data received from an audio data source. A first audio effect resource in the audio buffer receives audio data from the audio data source and modifies the audio data to generate a stream of audio data. Subsequent audio effect resource(s) in the audio buffer receives the stream of audio data from the first audio effect and further modifies the audio data to generate a stream of modified audio data. The stream of modified audio data can then routed from the audio buffer to a second audio buffer, or communicated to an audio rendering component that produces an audio rendition corresponding to the modified audio data.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel bacterial hosts that are capable of high efficiency transformation with methylated and/or unmethylated nucleic acids, and that are bacteriophage resistant. Such bacteria contain: (1) an F? episome that confers high efficiency transformability; (2) one or more mutations that allow transformation of methylated nucleic acids; (3) one or more mutations that allow transformation with unmethylated nucleic acids; and/or (4) one or more mutations that confer resistance to bacteriophage infection. Also disclosed are methods for transforming such bacteria, and kits that contain such bacteria (e.g., that have been made competent for transformation).

Abstract: Systems and methods for 3D audio programming and processing are provided wherein digital signal processing (DSP) settings are calculated for 3D audio effects for a digital audio signal independently of DSP rendering of the digital audio signal. Coordinates of locations within a 3D environment representing at least one sound source and at least one audio listener are created and passed (along with other distance modeling parameters) to a DSP settings generator having 3D audio library routines to calculate the DSP settings for 3D audio effects based on the distances between the at least one sound source and at least one audio listener and the distance modeling parameters. Support for positional multi-channel sounds and non point-source emitters is also present.

Abstract: One aspect provides a capacitor feedthrough assembly having an electrically conductive member dimensioned to extend at least partially through a feedthrough hole of a case of the capacitor, the conductive member having a passage therethrough.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of interconnecting two or more foils of a capacitor, the method comprising connecting together one or more anode connection members of one or more anode foils and one or more cathode connection members of one or more cathode foils and electrically isolating the one or more anode foils from the one or more cathode foils.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling users and developers to store data on a number of different types of local and remote devices connected to a gaming console, a multimedia console or a console that is both gaming and multimedia console. The range of available storage devices creates issues that are addressed to avoid apparent inconsistencies in storage performance (e.g. latency). A consistent method of reading and writing data is provided such that end users and developers do not have to be concerned with restrictions and limitations inherent to various devices.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling users and developers to store data on a number of different types of local and remote devices connected to a multimedia console or a gaming console. The range of available storage devices creates issues that are addressed to avoid apparent inconsistencies in storage performance (e.g. latency). A consistent method of reading and writing data is provided such that end users and developers do not have to be concerned with restrictions and limitations inherent to various devices.

Abstract: Communication between a game console having a communication port and a portable device is facilitated by determining that a portable device has been directly connected to the communication port, determining the protocol associated with the portable device, and communicating with the portable device using a driver associated with the determined protocol. An ancillary application may handle the communication between the game console and the portable device while a game or entertainment application executes concurrently on the game console. The game application may execute in a reserved predetermined amount of hardware resources of the game console while the ancillary application may execute concurrently using the remaining hardware resources.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multi-channel audio using a reduced amount of resources for the decoding process. A 5.1 channel audio stream is divided into three stereo streams. The packets from each of three stereo streams are multiplexed to create a pseudo-5.1 channel audio stream. The pseudo 5.1 channel audio stream is then decoded and demultiplexed at the output to create the output 5.1 channel audio sound. As such, the decoder resources only have decode a single pseudo 5.1 stream. This technique is equally applicable to 7.1 or other multi-channel formats.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a capacitor stack, including one or more substantially planar anode layers, and one or more substantially planar cathode layers. Additionally, the capacitor has a case having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening sized for passage of the capacitor stack, and a cover substantially conforming to the first opening and sealingly connected to the first opening. Also, the capacitor includes a plate substantially conforming to the second opening and sealingly connected to the second opening, the plate defining an aperture. Additionally, the capacitor includes a plug substantially conforming to the aperture in the plate, the plug sealingly connected to the plate. The capacitor stack is disposed in the case, and the terminal is in electrical connection with the case and at least one capacitor electrode.