Abstract: A capacitive touch screen display operates by: receiving a plurality of sensed signals indicating variations in mutual capacitance associated with a plurality of cross points formed by a plurality of electrodes; generating capacitance image data associated with the plurality of cross points that includes positive capacitance variation data corresponding to positive variations of the capacitance image data from a nominal value and negative capacitance variation data corresponding to negative variations of the capacitance image data from the nominal value; determining, based on the positive capacitance variation data and the negative capacitance variation data, an upper threshold and a lower threshold; generating compensated capacitance image data, based on the upper threshold and the lower threshold; and processing the compensated capacitance image data to determine a proximal condition of the touch screen display.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for inhibiting a HIV infection in a subject. These methods include administering to the subject an effective amount of a recombinant gp120 protein comprising a deletion of HIV-1 Envelope residues 137-152 according to the HXBc2 numbering system, or a nucleic acid molecule encoding the recombinant gp120 protein, wherein the recombinant gp120 protein elicits an immune response to HIV-1. The methods also include administering to the subject an effective amount of a SAMT-247 microbicide.

Abstract: A beverage ingredient mixing and dispensing assembly can include an adapter configured for attachment to a beverage container and can include a beverage ingredient receptacle having a piercing assembly configured to pierce a frangible seal of a beverage ingredient cartridge. The piercing assembly can pierce the seal and allow a beverage ingredient from within the cartridge to pass into the beverage container for mixing with a liquid and thereby forming a mixed beverage. The beverage ingredient receptacle can be removable. A plurality of different seized beverage ingredient receptacles can be removably attached to the adapter. A retainer member can be placed over a top end of a beverage ingredient cartridge positioned in the beverage ingredient receptacle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an energy storage device. A stack is provided on a substrate. The stack comprises a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and an electrolyte layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The method includes forming a first groove, a second groove, and a third groove in a first side of the stack opposite to a second side of the stack on the substrate. The first groove has a first depth and a first surface comprising a first exposed surface of the second electrode layer. The second groove has a second depth different from the first depth and a second surface comprising an exposed surface of the first electrode layer. The third groove has a third depth substantially the same as the first depth and a third surface comprising a second exposed surface of the second electrode layer.

Abstract: The exemplary system and method for the characterization procedures for complex permittivity of a dielectric material at radio frequencies, including microwave and millimeter-wave wavelengths. The exemplary system and method employ a highly resonant periodic array affixed or placed in proximity thereto to provide a frequency response that varies based on the constituent electromagnetic properties of a sample of dielectric material.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a set of graph processing cores and a set of dense compute cores. where the set of graph processing cores and the set of dense cores are interconnected in a network. The dense compute cores include offload queue circuitry to receive an offload request from the set of graph processing cores to handle dense compute workloads. Memory controllers are also provided in the system for use by the graph processing cores in reading and writing to memory in association with sparse graph applications. the memory controllers enhanced to efficiently handle memory transactions in sparse graph applications.

Abstract: A method of user authentication for a computer system includes continuously or periodically: obtaining at least one image of a field-of-view (FOV) of a depth-sensing image capture device directed outward from a user interface of the computer system, analyzing the at least one image using a facial recognition model with depth-sensing to determine whether a person is positioned within the FOV and, if it is determined that a person is positioned within the FOV, to determine whether the person is a registered user of the computer system. If it is determined that the person is a registered user of the computer system, then further determining permissions within the computer system for the person based on a user profile for the person and providing access to the computing system in accordance with the determined permissions.

Abstract: A culture dish includes a base and a lid. The base includes a side wall and a concave floor that define a first interior volume open at a top end of the base. The base further includes an annular rim between the floor and a bottom end thereof. The lid includes a side wall and a ceiling that define a second interior volume open at a bottom end of the lid. The lid further includes an annular rim extending radially outwardly therefrom. An inner surface of the side wall of the lid is configured for slidable receipt about an outer surface of the side wall of the base to engage the lid about the base with the first and second interior volumes overlapping one another to define a sealed, combined internal volume bounded by the side walls of the base and the lid, the floor, and the ceiling.

Abstract: An antenna extender and an antenna extended with a laser induced includes a laser source and an antenna feed. The laser source is capable of emitting a laser beam along an axis with sufficient power to produce a laser induced plasma in an atmosphere along the axis of the laser beam. The antenna feed extends along the axis for coupling between a radiofrequency signal and the laser induced plasma. The antenna feed extended with the laser induced plasma has an enhanced radiation efficiency for the radiofrequency signal that is greater than the antenna feed that is not extended and has a stub radiation efficiency for the radiofrequency signal when the laser source is deactivated and does not emit the laser beam.

Abstract: A biomass gasifier for producing syngas. The biomass gasifier includes a first tube having an air distribution manifold that extend within the gasification chamber. The first tube is rotatably positioned within a second tube, where the second tube is connected to a mixer below the air distribution manifold. The first tube has an air passage that is fluidly connected to an air source to deliver air to the combustion chamber through a plurality of air outlets within the air distribution manifold for distribution. The first tube is independently rotated from the second tube to evenly distribute air within the combustion chamber and the second tube with the mixer are rotated to agitate the biomass within the combustion chamber once a desired operating temperature range within the combustion chamber has been achieved.

Abstract: An antenna extender and an antenna extended with a laser induced includes a laser source and an antenna feed. The laser source is capable of emitting a laser beam along an axis with sufficient power to produce a laser induced plasma in an atmosphere along the axis of the laser beam. The antenna feed extends along the axis for coupling between a radiofrequency signal and the laser induced plasma. The antenna feed extended with the laser induced plasma has an enhanced radiation efficiency for the radiofrequency signal that is greater than the antenna feed that is not extended and has a stub radiation efficiency for the radiofrequency signal when the laser source is deactivated and does not emit the laser beam.

Abstract: A biomass gasifier for producing syngas. The biomass gasifier includes a first tube having an air distribution manifold that extend within the gasification chamber. The first tube is rotatably positioned within a second tube, where the second tube is connected to a mixer below the air distribution manifold. The first tube has an air passage that is fluidly connected to an air source to deliver air to the combustion chamber through a plurality of air outlets within the air distribution manifold for distribution. The first tube is independently rotated from the second tube to evenly distribute air within the combustion chamber and the second tube with the mixer are rotated to agitate the biomass within the combustion chamber once a desired operating temperature range within the combustion chamber has been achieved.

Abstract: A biomass gasifier for producing syngas. The biomass gasifier includes a first tube having an air distribution manifold that extend within the gasification chamber. The first tube is rotatably positioned within a second tube, where the second tube is connected to a mixer below the air distribution manifold. The first tube has an air passage that is fluidly connected to an air source to deliver air to the combustion chamber through a plurality of air outlets within the air distribution manifold for distribution. The first tube is independently rotated from the second tube to evenly distribute air within the combustion chamber and the second tube with the mixer are rotated to agitate the biomass within the combustion chamber once a desired operating temperature range within the combustion chamber has been achieved.

Abstract: User equipment (UE) can include a spectrum analyzer to monitor characteristics of transmission channels. The user equipment can monitor a 600 MHz spectrum and associated channels, for example, to determine if the spectrum is free of interference or is currently occupied. The UE can analyze a received signal strength indication (RSSI), a reference signal received power (RSRP), a reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), for example, to distinguish between types of interference if a channel is occupied. User equipment (UE) can aggregate data and report such data to a network device further aggregate the data and to generate reports. Network components can be deployed or optimized based at least in part on network metrics provided by individual UEs or aggregated data provided by a plurality of UEs. In some instances, the UE can be a mobile phone of a customer to gather metrics in a distributed manner.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for storing documents in a centralized database system based on geographical data localization includes receiving, by a database manager, a request to update a document according to a data localization criterion, the document stored in a local storage device of the centralized database system. The method further includes determining, by the database manager, a geographical location for a local copy of the document based on an attribute of the document matching the localization criterion. The method further includes creating, by the database manager, a remote copy of the document on a storage device that is physically located in the geographical location. The method further includes modifying, by the database manager, the local copy of the document to include a location information of the remote copy.

Abstract: A method of preparing an elongate web of sheet material for dividing into discrete stacks of web portions after reeling the web onto a drum is provided. The method includes forming transverse discontinuities in the web at spaced intervals corresponding to edges of the discrete stacks to be formed, the intervals progressively increasing along the web so that the discontinuities form angularly-aligned groups when reeled onto the drum.

Abstract: A method including providing, on a substrate, first and second stacks for an energy storage device with a groove therebetween is provided. The first and second stacks each, respectively, include a first electrode layer on the substrate, an electrolyte layer on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer on the electrolyte layer. A first material is deposited within the groove and a second material is deposited over the first stack, the first material and the second stack to electrically connect the second electrode layers of the first and second stacks, via the second material. The first material prevents the second material from contacting the first electrode layer of the first and second stacks and the electrolyte layer of the first and second stacks, to electrically insulate the first electrode layer of the first and second stacks and the electrolyte layer of the first and second stacks from the second material.

Abstract: A drum arranged for reeling and dividing an elongate web of sheet material to produce discrete stacks of web portions is provided. The drum includes a series of faces forming a web-receiving loop that extends around a central axis of the drum, each face of the drum being defined by a respective drum segment that is configured to support a respective stack of web portions of a web reeled onto the web-receiving loop. The drum segments are movable to enable the web-receiving loop to expand to increase tension in a web reeled onto the web-receiving loop to divide the elongate web into discrete stacks.

Abstract: A method comprises obtaining a stack for an energy storage device, the stack comprising a first electrode layer and an electrolyte layer. The method comprises depositing a first material over an exposed portion of the first electrode layer and an exposed portion of the electrolyte layer. The method comprises depositing a second material over the first material and to form a second electrode layer of the stack, and to provide an electrical connection from the second electrode layer, for connecting to a further such second electrode layer via the second material. The electrolyte layer is between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The first material insulates the exposed portions of the first electrode layer and the electrolyte layer from the second material. Also disclosed is an apparatus for maintaining top-down inkjet material deposition.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for storing documents in a centralized database system based on geographical data localization includes receiving, by a database manager, a request to update a document according to a data localization criterion, the document stored in a local storage device of the centralized database system. The method further includes determining, by the database manager, a geographical location for a local copy of the document based on an attribute of the document matching the localization criterion. The method further includes creating, by the database manager, a remote copy of the document on a storage device that is physically located in the geographical location. The method further includes modifying, by the database manager, the local copy of the document to include a location information of the remote copy.