Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for automatically augmenting message exchange threads based on a detected tone of messages exchanged between participants. In various implementations, a message contributed to a message exchange thread involving one or more message exchange clients by a participant may be determined. In various implementations, an idle chatter score associated with the message may be calculated. In various implementations, either a conversational response to the message or content responsive to a search query generated based on the message may be selectively incorporated into the message exchange thread based at least in part on the idle chatter score. In some implementations, a search query suitability score associated with the message may also be calculated.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for quantifying an analyte in a gas or liquid phase. A light source with an emission spectrum overlapping an absorption of the analyte, and a pair of reflective mirrors located on an optical axis to form an optical cavity can be included. An off-axis photon detector can be configured as a fluorescence detector and located off the cavity axis and arranged to provide a first signal in response to fluorescence within the cavity. An axial photon detector can be located axially, and external, to the cavity and arranged to provide a second signal. The portion of the apparatus including the light source, the cavity, and the axial photon detector can be configured with a cavity-enhanced absorption spectrometer, and the portion of the apparatus including the off-axis photon detector can be configured with a cavity-enhanced laser-induced fluorescence (CELIF) spectrophotometer.

Abstract: A retrieving component connects to a server to download a cue stack for the interactive event with the cue stack having a series of cues for a plurality of effects, including at least one of a screen color effect, a screen image effect, and a flashing effect, arranged in a predetermined order. A receiving component receives at least one cue trigger from a localized trigger generator. A rendering component matches the cue trigger to a cue within the cue stack. The rendering component can activate the screen to display a color in response to a cue for a screen color effect, can activate the screen to display an image in response to a cue for a screen image effect, and can activate the flashing device in response to a cue for a flashing effect.

Abstract: Provided is a compression resistant implant configured to fit at or near a bone defect to promote bone growth. The compression resistant implant comprises a biodegradable polymer in an amount of about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt % of the implant and a freeze-dried oxysterol in an amount of about 5 wt % to about 90 wt % of the implant. Methods of making and use are further provided.

Abstract: An electric driven hydraulic fracking system is disclosed. A pump configuration that includes the single VFD, the single shaft electric motor, and the single hydraulic pump that is mounted on the single pump trailer. The single VFD converts the electric power of at least 13.8 kV to a VFD rated voltage level of at least 4160 V and drives the single shaft electric motor at the VFD voltage level of up to 4160 V to control the operation of the single shaft electric motor and the single hydraulic pump. The single shaft electric motor drives the single hydraulic pump with the rotation at the rated RPM level of at least 750 RPM. The single hydraulic pump continuously pumps the fracking media into the well at the HP level of at least 5000 HP. The single hydraulic pump operates on a continuous duty cycle to continuously pump the fracking media at the HP level of at least 5000 HP.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to engaging with a virtual assistant via ancillary input are provided. Ancillary input may refer to non-verbal, non-tactile input based on eye-gaze data and/or eye-gaze attributes, including but not limited to, facial recognition data, motion or gesture detection, eye-contact data, head-pose or head-position data, and the like. Thus, to initiate and/or maintain interaction with a virtual assistant, a user need not articulate an attention word or words. Rather the user may initiate and/or maintain interaction with a virtual assistant more naturally and may even include the virtual assistant in a human conversation with multiple speakers. The virtual assistant engagement system may utilize at least one machine-learning algorithm to more accurately determine whether a user desires to engage with and/or maintain interaction with a virtual assistant. Various hardware configurations associated with a virtual assistant device may allow for both near-field and/or far-field engagement.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes obtaining, by a first LPAR, first device information about devices that a first LPAR is physically connected to. The first device information is sent by the first LPAR to a storage device for storage therein. Second device information stored on the storage device by a second LPAR is accessed by the first LPAR. The second device information includes information about devices that the second LPAR is physically connected to. The method further includes performing, by the first LPAR, a function using the second device information. A computer program product for device information sharing between a plurality of LPARs according to another embodiment includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program are instructions readable and/or executable by a first LPAR to cause the first LPAR to perform the foregoing method.

Abstract: A method for estimating an embedding capacity includes receiving, at a deterministic reference encoder, a reference audio signal, and determining a reference embedding corresponding to the reference audio signal, the reference embedding having a corresponding embedding dimensionality. The method also includes measuring a first reconstruction loss as a function of the corresponding embedding dimensionality of the reference embedding and obtaining a variational embedding from a variational posterior. The variational embedding has a corresponding embedding dimensionality and a specified capacity. The method also includes measuring a second reconstruction loss as a function of the corresponding embedding dimensionality of the variational embedding and estimating a capacity of the reference embedding by comparing the first measured reconstruction loss for the reference embedding relative to the second measured reconstruction loss for the variational embedding having the specified capacity.

Abstract: A process is provided for converting heat energy from a heat source to mechanical work or electricity by utilizing a working fluid comprising perfluoroheptene. The process comprises heating a working fluid using heat supplied from the heat source; and expanding the heated working fluid to generate mechanical work. Also provided is an organic Rankine power cycle system utilizing a working fluid comprising perfluoroheptene. Further provided is a method of replacing the working fluid of an Organic Rankine Power Cycle System designed and configured to utilize a working fluid comprising HFC-245fa with a working fluid comprising of a perfluoroheptene.

Abstract: A method of operating a combustion burner to heat a furnace. Fuel and combustion air are supplied into a combustion zone and ignited. Additional combustion air is supplied into the atmosphere outside of the combustion zone. The amount of additional combustion air supplied outside of the combustion zone is decreased as a temperature of the atmosphere inside the furnace increases such that the content of nitrogen oxides (NOx), as corrected for 3% O2 (cNOx (3% O2)), in the gases generated by combustion of the fuel and the combustion air and emitted from the furnace maintained below a predetermined value.

Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for tracking of a conversation and management of multi-channel, multi-interaction customer conversations across multiple chat bots. One example system includes operations to receive a first signal comprising a first set of conversational input received via interactions with a conversational interface from a client device, the conversational interface associated with a plurality of chat bots and manages interactions between the client device and the plurality of chat bots. The received conversational input is analyzed to determine a context of the received conversational input based on characteristics of the received conversational input. A request is transmitted to an identified first chat bot associated with the determined context and a response is received from the identified first chat bot. The response is transmitted to the client device for presentation.

Abstract: A downhole drilling apparatus may comprise a rotatable body with fixed cutting elements protruding from an exterior thereof. To form a subterranean borehole, the fixed cutting elements, spaced at a constant radius from a rotational axis of the body, may degrade an earthen formation as the body rotates. The body may also have a rotatable cutting element protruding from its exterior. To remove material from an interior wall of the borehole, the rotatable cutting element may be positioned in a first rotational orientation wherein it extends radially beyond the constant radius of the fixed cutting elements. An amount of material being removed may be altered by rotating the rotatable cutting element into a second rotational orientation wherein it remains radially within the constant radius.

Abstract: A detector comprises an optical parametric oscillator having a non-linear material adapted to convert via a parametric process pump light into down converted light of two different wavelengths, the first wavelength being longer than the second wavelength. The non-linear material is provided in a down converted wave cavity arranged to resonate only one of the first or second wavelengths. The detector comprises means for modulating light in the down converted wave cavity to induce an acoustic or pressure wave caused by absorption of the resonant one of the first and second wavelengths. The detector further comprises means located in the down-converted wave cavity for detecting the acoustic or pressure wave. The detector may be used for detecting or sensing very low levels of a fluid, for example a gas such as ethane.

Abstract: A fluid line includes a pipe of a multilayered plastics material. The pipe surrounds an interior space. The pipe has an inner, first layer of polyamide 9T (PA9T), a second layer of polyamide 12 (PA12), a third layer of polyamide 612 (PA612), a fourth layer of polyamide 6 (PA6) and an outer, fifth layer of polyamide 612 (PA612). The inner, first layer bounds the interior space. A fluid line that has a reduced dissolution of material, a reduced permeability to volatile substances, and nevertheless maintains sufficient mechanical properties for a connection to other components of a line, is hence provided.

Abstract: Accordingly, it is an object of this disclosure to provide a blend polymeric membrane to provide the separation of CO2 from a gaseous mixture. The blend polymeric membrane comprises a blend of polyphosphazene and polymers of intrinsic microporosity. Further, the present disclosure also provides a method of use for the blend polymeric membrane for the separation of gases in a gaseous mixture.

Abstract: Among other things, techniques for securely booting processors in a vehicle are described. An apparatus comprises a circuit coupled to one or more processors of a vehicle and managing a secure boot process for the processors. The circuit receives an indication that the vehicle has been powered on and sends, to a network server, a request for boot files for the processors of the vehicle. In response, the circuit receives, from the server, most recent versions of boot files respectively corresponding to the processors, wherein each boot file includes a digital signature of a trusted authority. In response to obtaining the most recent versions of the boot files, the circuit sequentially boots the processors using the respective boot files, wherein each processor executes a corresponding boot file upon verifying authenticity of the digital signature in the boot file using a corresponding class authentication key.

Abstract: A device is provided for pooling a fluid from a container unit having at least one container, and includes an inlet port having at least one inlet channel configured for receiving the fluid or ambient air, and an outlet port having at least one outlet channel configured for delivering the fluid to an attachment. Both inlet and outlet ports are disposed on the device. A cavity is provided for accommodating insertion of the container unit for pooling the fluid from the at least one container. At least one spike is disposed in the cavity and configured for puncturing a stopper of the at least one container when the container unit transitions from an upper position to a lower position.